Blossompaws Escape
by JazzyStorm
Summary: Following after Larkflight's Treachery in this warriors mini series, we learn of what happened to Blossompaw after the twolegs captured her. She is taken to an illegal animal testing facility and must fight for her life along with the other animals. Soon she has no choice but to escape...or die. But where will she go if she succeeds? Can she cope with the side effects?
1. Ubducted

The monster rumbled to life and jolted onto the thunderpath with several bumps and groans. I wailed pitifully in hopes a clanmate would rescue me. But I was to far away...to far gone already. Eventually the twolegs got sick of listening to my mewls and injected me with a thick fluid. The instant it hit my veins and seeped into my blood I fell unconscious.

_NO! NO! Please let me go...I didn't do anything wrong!_ I shouted silently but couldn't find my voice. A scream was stuck in my throat. I thrashed around wildly but couldn't move a muscle. I was completeley awake but I couldn't move...or talk...or fight. I wondered if had something to do with what the twolegs injected me with._ Adderstripe...DAD! Save Me! _I pleaded silently. The bumping of the monster sent me crashing around the metal cage the twolegs placed me in. My eyes were wide open in a sightless stare. There were other cages lining the walls of the monsters belly. Dogs and cats alike were whimpering in the confining metal cages. Suddenly the monster lurched to a stop, sending my limp body hurtling into the bars. A searing pain shot up my body like fire, and I was powerless to stop it.

There were 3 twolegs in the monster. Two sat up front, one seemed to be operating the snarling and grumbling monster. The other was writing information down in a booklet. The scrawls were a meaningless blur to me. And the last twoleg sat in the back with the caged animals. It was a female twoleg, the only female in the group. She seemed gentle and regretful for stealing us. But she had a sort of cruelty about her that unurved me.

Why did the twolegs want to take us in the first place?

What do they want with us? That seemed to be the more appropriate question for my situation, w_hat was going to happen to me?_

The twolegs crawled out of the monster and spoke for a minute before unloading us out of the back. The female placed cage after cage on a wheeled cart until she had us all crammed together on the transportation device. She wheeled us up a long paved thunderpath that had no monsters on it. Suddenly a twoleg building came into view. It was white and very square. There were no windows and only one door from what I could tell. The wheels creaked and groaned in an ominous way. My heart hammered in my tiny chest, my eyes widened ever so slightly in panic. I had a feeling that bad things happened in that building. Very bad things...and I would be taking part in them very soon.

The instant the large metal doors swung open a chorus of howls and wails broke free. All the dogs in the cages next to me began howling as well. However there was this one old dog that remained silent. I immediately decided I trusted him.

"Um...dog?" I tried. The old dog stirred and grumbled "Yes?"

"Do you know, well, what's happening?" I asked hopefully. The old dog snorted.

"If I did, why would I tell you anything?" He grumbled with a heavy accent. He wasn't from around here.

"Well you must know something!" I exclaimed. The old dog turned to face me and I realized with a start he was blind in one eye. It was all fogged up and cloudy.

"Well don't stare now. And how would you figure that I know something?" He barked. I looked away with embarrassment momentarily before turning back. I was regaining use of my muscles again.

"Where I come from dogs don't speak cat. But you speak it just fine. So, you obviously have more to your story than you're letting on." I snapped. He chuckled and complied.

"That I do, that I do." He nodded in agreement. However I could tell he wasn't going to be sharing his story with me. I found comfort in knowing that I wasn't alone here though. Suddenly the twoleg lady stopped. She grabbed a cage at random and shoved the animal into a new cage lining a wall of the building. She hurriedly stuffed all the animals, including me and the old dog, into cages. Then she snatched her cart and scurried out of the noisy room. I slowly stretched my legs and paced the small cage which was only slightly larger than my last one. In the corner was 2 bowls. One had sharp and tangy water and the other had hard brown pellets supposedly called food. I looked around and noticed most animals were eating the pellets. I refused and went straight to sleep. I wrapped my fluffy white tail around my cloudy body and made myself as tiny as possible. _I should be training with the other apprentices right now..._I thought angrily. My wide blue eyes had tears speckling them. I sniffled before comforting myself with the thought that my clan mates would surely be looking for me. And then they would help me escape from this dreadful place.

_But for now I will be waiting here. Please don't forget me_, I thought silently.


	2. A Chance

Eventually hunger clawed at my stomach so painfully that I caved and ate some of the pellets. They were crunchy and stale. They tasted like artificial fish. I drowned out the awful flavoring with the water. I gulped it in long deep turns. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was! Suddenly the 3 twolegs that had kidnapped me walked into the room holding all the animals. One of the males was writing things down rapidly while surveying all the cages. The female was watching me. I crouched down and slunk into the back corner of my cage however she kept staring at me. Then she pointed at me and mumbled something to her twoleg companions. They opened the latch holding me in my cage a hoisted me out. I claw and screeched and scratched and the female pulled out a long needle. She gently grabbed my scruff and then slowly inserted the needle into my neck. She savored each bit of agonizing pain it caused me until I slipped into unconsciousness.

I woke up alone in another room. It was completely white and barren except for lights hanging from the ceiling. The 3 twolegs sat behind a glass wall and wrote things down while observing me. I looked around in confusion...what were they doing?

Suddenly a green smoke came out of a vent. It slowly filled the room. The twolegs started timing me, waiting for a reaction to the fog. I sat down and looked around wildly. I felt slight discomfort because it was dampening my white coat of fur but I felt no pain. Then, suddenly, a white hot searing pain shoot up my body like lightning. I yelped and wailed while twitching, waiting for the burning to stop. I looked at my body, I was sure I was on fire, but I saw no flames or sparks. I withered in agony and the female twoleg smile wickedly. The 2 males wrote down notes. Then when the female got bored she turned off the funnel of smoke and the burning feeling dwindled and disappeared. I lay gasping on the ground, waiting for the them to put me back in my cage so I could await future torture. The female walked into the room and scooped me up with one paw. She didn't have to fear me attacking her. I was to weak to even lift a paw. She opened the latch to my cage and set me inside while murmuring soft things. A lullaby, lulling me into oblivion.

"Hey, cat, hey wake up!" Came the rumbling snarl of a dog. I awoke instantly and was on my paws. My tail bristiled and my blues were wide with terror. I settled down as I remembered where I was. I turned and saw the old dog was in the cage to my left.

"Hello!" I called out to him. He snorted and sat back down.

"I was just checking to see if you were dead." He growled. I sat down too and began washing my paws.

"I never got to ask you your name." I said thoughtfully while drawing my paw over my ear.

"It's Chance." he muttered. "I'm Blossompaw!" I offered cheerily.

"What kind of name is that?" Chance questioned. I recoiled slightly at his rude remark. Chance's eyes softened slightly as he realized he had offended me.

"I didn't mean..." He trailed off awkwardly.

"It's OK." I sighed. "Clan names are kind of strange." I amended.

"What's a clan?" Chance asked. He settled down in his cage with a yawn. He reminded me of the elders back in Pineclan. Just as excited for a story as to tell one.

"Well, where to begin?" I murmured. I had attracted the attention of several nearby cats. I heard murmurs of "I've heard of those clans!" "Is she a clan cat?" and "This otta be good." I cleared my throat before I began my story. I was retelling a personal favorite of mine. It had been passed down from generation to generation.

"Long ago there were 4 cats. They were good friends, they bonded over their similarities. They all possessed one power. They each controlled an element. Pine conrolled earth. Sea controlled water, Ash conrolled fire, and Mud conrolled the wind. They found a home that suited all of their needs. There was an ocean next to a forest a marsh, and a volcano. They spent their days practicing with their powers but craved more from their life. A cat came down from the stars and spoke to them. _It is your destiny to create clans._ The cat had told them. A clan is group of cats that live and work together." I started into my story. Most cats in the room were listening intently now.

"They have a leader, a deputy, a medicine cat, warriors, queens, kits, elders, and apprentices. A leader guides the clan and represents them. The deputy replaces the leader if the leader dies, a medicine cat heals injured or sick clan mates and reads the signs of starclan, elders are retired warriors, warriors hunt for and protect the clan. Apprentices are young cats that are trained to become warriors. Queens are nursing mothers and kits are their babies." I explained.

"What is starclan?" A cat asked.

"Starclan is the clan that lives in the stars. They are the spirits of deceased clan cats. And they guide the clans still on earth." I stated. Awe filled all the rouges eyes. They hadn't heard of life where everything was so nice. My eyes narrowed.

"However when more than one clan live near each other they fight for prey and territory. And battles result." I continued.

"So when Pine, Mud, Ash and Sea decided to make a clan they argued and fought over who should be leader. Eventually they created their own clans. Pineclan took over the forest. Mudclan claimed the marshes, Seaclan lived on the beach. And Ashclan ruled the volcano. However the four clans fought constantly because they could never communicate peacefully with each other. They created a truce so that each full moon they would gather in harmony and exchange news. But on one dreadful gathering Ashstar, leader of Ashclan, broke the truce. Starclan was so angry that they made the volcano erupt. Ashstar attempted to stop the endless flow of lava but failed. He managed to save the other clans from his mistake but his own clan perished." I finished. I looked around and saw cats and dogs alike smiling at my story. In this dreary place we could do with a little light. I decided firmly. And then a darker thought crept into my head,_ if we can survive that is._ It whispered. I shivered and cowered into the back corner of my cage. It seemed that at this moment there was no light only darkness. I looked over at the old dog Chance and hope crept back into my heart. It is true that there was more dark than light. But there will always be a Chance.


	3. Breaking point

The female twoleg took a keen interest in me. She always watched me with her cold and unfeeling eyes, but she was gentle with me too. Whenever she placed me back in my cage after an episode of torture...she seemed kind. I decided I despised her but I also felt she had more to her story than I knew, just like Chance.

I had settled into a routine one week after my capture.

_Wake up_

_Eat the brown pellets_

_Drink_

_Wait..._

_Endure the painful tortures the twolegs have devised_

_Wait..._

_Sleep_

_Start again_

The twolegs were creative as well. They found the most painful ways to hurt me and the others. They never struck us or beat us. Everything was scientific and had a reason. However I didn't know what that reason was. I was constantly in a state of deleria, a side effect of the drugs they used to sedate me. I would see things...things that weren't real.

Suddenly the door opened with a creek and the 3 twolegs sauntered in. The female stopped by my cage and opened it delicately. She wrapped her fingers around my scruff and dragged me out of the metal box. I sat lifeless in her arms as she walked towards the torture chamber. Instead of a barren room this time a pool occupied the space. I froze as I realized she would be putting me _in _the water. I struggled slightly and she threw me into the pool. I splashed around madly while trying to regain my barrings. She started timing me.

I saw all sorts of thing swimming around in the pool with me. Monsters. They were monsters. Scaly and slimy things alike brushed against my and bit me. They grabbed at my fur and started pulling me under.

"Help!" I screamed but my plea was cut short as water rushed into my lungs. I drifted down and down until I landed on the bottom of the pool. I looked around me and realized the water was empty except for me. I couldn't fathom what I had experienced wasn't real. It seemed so life like...

My throat burned and begged for air. I was just about to open my moth and welcome death when a metal hook lowered into the water. It curved around my body and pulled me out of the pool. I coughed up mouthfuls of water and lay gasping for breath on a metal table. The female twoleg placed a bag around my mouth and air was pumped into my lungs.

_She wanted to see how long it took me to drown..._I thought with mounting terror. She tried to _drown me_. After I coughed up more water she carried me back to my cage and opened the latch. She shoved me inside ever so carefully and closed the door. I let out choking sobs in the back corner of my cage. I couldn't endure any more pain inflicted upon me by these...these monsters! My future seemed bleak and desolate. I knew deep down inside that no one was coming for me. No one was going to rescue me...I had to rescue myself.

An uncomfortable silence hung in the room containing all the animals. It was the eighth time already one of us had broken down. Once you break down you are considered dangerous by the twolegs. Once you reach your breaking point you can no longer participate in the experiments. You don 't know what is real and what is a hallucination. You forget your friends and try to hurt anyone that crosses your path. Once you reach your breaking point...the twolegs kill you.

And I had reached mine.

Chance cursed softly as he watched me crumble. I shook with terror and fear but no words of consolation could soothe me. Suddenly Chance growled at me.

"Snap out of it Blossompaw." He snarled. I howled with fear and agony.

"It isn't real...you can't break down!" He shouted. All the other animals joined in.

"Don't break!" They chorused. The clammer of all the noise filled my ears, scaring me even more. Chance reached a paw into my cage through the metal bars. I snapped at it and he withdrew his paw. A trail of crimson stained his brown fur.

"It's too late, she's gone." Chance muttered to everyone. The silence resumed, only to be brutally shattered by swarms of twolegs erupting into the room. They all wore blue pelts and carried black things in their paws. The 3 towlegs were herded into the room. Everyone was shouting and screaming. I saw the female twoleg try to run. A twoleg in blue pointed the black object at her fired it. I heard a loud boom and saw smoke. Then I saw the female twoleg lying on the ground. Blood welled up around her head. The twolegs in blue put hand cuffs on the 2 remaining twolegs that tortured us for moons. Then they came around and undid the latches on our cages. The animals panicked and scattered. They didn't know if they were going to be hurt or helped. We all ran in different directions and howled and wailed. I sat in my cage and growled at everyone that came past me. Suddenly Chance ran past my cage and grabbed my scruff in his teeth. I struggled but he held me firmly. He spoke to all the other animals through my fur.

"RUN!" He growled and started staggering towards the exit. The twolegs broke his leg once. The 2 male twolegs started pleading with the others. They pointed to us and the exit.

"Don't let them escape, danger." They kept saying. That was all I understood. Chance pushed the door open and bright sunlight scorched my eyes. Fresh air swarmed me along with all of the sounds in nature. All the animals scattered and ran into the forest. Chance eventually got sick of me squirming in his jaws and so he pressed down on the base of my neck, knocking me out cold. I mustered one delerious thought before slipping away.

We were free.


	4. Reality

My eyes flew open and I stood up in terror. My head bashed against the roof of my cage. I dashed around in circles, looking for an escape.

_No no no! This can't be right...we eascaped already!_ I thought in a panic. Chance snorted and asked me what I was doing.

"I...I don't know." I said eventually to the old dog. He let out a sigh and attempted to stretch his legs in the tiny cage. I squinted my eyes and looked at the room containing me and 20 other captive animals.

Could everything I had experienced, all been a dream? Or was _this_ the dream? I rested my chin on my soft white paws. Like clock work the female twoleg opened the door and sauntered over to my cage. I usually struggled but I never unsheathed my claws against her. Today would be different. I turned to Chance and snarled to grab his attention. The female twoleg was hovering outside of my cage right now. Her long fingers were slowly turning the key in the lock. Chance lifted his gray muzzle and looked at me with pity and sorrow. He knew what awaited me once the twoleg took me out of the room. However I wasn't looking for his pity. I was looking for his help.

"Listen closely Chance, when the female twoleg picks me up I'm going to attack her. She will most likely drop her key which I will snatch and use to open your cage. Then I will give the key to you while the female attempts to catch me. You start releasing other animals." I explained quickly. Chance nodded and crouched down, ready to lead out of his cage the instant it was unlocked.

"Today we will no longer be the victims. Today we fight, and we escape." I shouted loudly to all the animals. The female twoleg froze and glanced at me quizzically.

_Oh no, does she suspect something? _I thought with horror_. _Luckily she shrugged and reached into the cage to grab me. I forced myself to relax. I couldn't attack to soon. It was all about timing. The female twoleg pulled me out of the cage. I turned to bite her wrist but she pulled out a long needle, oozing with sedatives. I reared back just as the needle came crashing down. It brushed against my cheek, cutting it slightly. I winced but I knew I had to act now. I snarled ferociously and let my few days of apprentice training kick in. I fought like all the might of lionclan as I bit and clawed the twoleg. She shrieked in pain and dropped the needle which I kicked out of the way. She reached down to grab me but I dogged her and raked my claws along her leg. She dropped the key in stunned pain but it skid across the ground. By now the 2 male twolegs had heard the female and came barging into the room. Fortunately the clumsy oafs failed to catch me. I dashed after the key and picked it up in my jaws. I made it safely to Chances cage and shoved the key into the lock. I turned my head sharply and heard a click. Chances cage door opened and Chance flew out. He bowled the female twoleg over and snarled in her face before grabbing the key from me. With his height he was able to open the cages higher up. I distracted the 3 twolegs.

"We have to run now Blossompaw!" Chance called out. The 3 twolegs were starting to regain their wits and were fighting us now.

"NO!" I bellowed. "We can't leave any animals behind...it will surely be their demise!" I screeched. Chance reluctantly obliged and quickly opened more cages. Only I saw the male twoleg creeping up on my friend. He was carrying a stick, a large stick. He raised it above his head and sent it crashing down. My face froze in horror as I witnessed in slow motion what would be the end for the old dog.

However Chance still had a few good years left in him. He turned around at the speed of light and bit the stick before it could strike him. The wood splintered immediately, some of the sharp pieces hit the male twoleg, causing him to howl in pain. Without delay Chance addressed all the chaotic animals.

"We run now!" He ordered, looking directly at me. I stood motionless in the center of the room. Half the animals were still caged, half of those lives would be lost if we fled now. Chance could see I wasn't going to run so he charged forward and scooped me up in his mouth. He then turned and fled, along with me. I turned my head and looked at all the frightened faces peering back at me as we crashed through the door and into the long hallway. As the door closed so did the other animals last chance at rescue. The ones that escaped followed behind Chance as we raced towards the only exit.

We made it, but in this version of my escape a luscious forest didn't greet me. A gray road and dead fields greeted me. the air smelled like smoke and smog. It was practically poisonous.

"Oh." I murmured quietly as I realized I was no where near my forest. I was no where near the roaring ocean. I was beyond lost...I was gone.


	5. Blossom

I stood on the cliff over looking the valley, a chill wind pulsed vibrantly-carrying with it all the scents and wonders of the moors. My white fur swayed in the breeze and I closed my eyes, enjoying the peacefulness.

_It's been several moons since you escaped with the others, today you would probably be receiving your warrior name._ I thought with amazement. Time had passed so quickly I never even realized I had stopped missing the clans, missing my friends, and missing even my parents. I had a new family now. And I had a duty to protect them.

"Blossom." A rough voice called out. My blue eyes narrowed and I turned to face my deputy, Chance. Once we escaped I shed my clan name and used only the prefix as my title. Blossompaw was in my past.

"Yes?" I asked casually. I noticed even more gray hairs flecking his muzzle. Chance had been a loyal deputy to me, and the greatest friend I could ever ask for. It pained me to see him age so fast.

"Bailey is giving birth to her first litter of pups. The first births in our new home, I think you should be there for it." Chance advised.

"Right. Lead the way." I nodded. Chance turned around and trotted back to our camp with a limp. His leg never fully healed after the twolegs tortured us for so long.

We made our way carefully down the rocky slopes of the cliff and emerged into a thriving camp bellow, hidden in the valley by luscious moors.

"I'm here now Bailey." I announced and approached the pregnant dog. She was small and had curly white fur, only slightly larger than a cat herself. The queen gasped and cringed with pain as a spasm rippled up her belly.

"They're coming!" Our make shift medicine cat called out. Another spasm shook the queen and she howled with pain. I looked around wildly, expecting the twolegs to come bursting through their metal doors. I forced my fur to lie flat and be calm. Even though it had been moons I never truly left that place. The flashbacks followed me around constantly and gripped me with fears at random times.

Suddenly a bundle of white fur slid out and the dog let out a sigh.

"It was just the one!" Clover, the medicine cat announced. Cheers filled the camp as Bailey licked her pup and nudged it gently towards her belly to suckle. Her mate Lucky, a gray dog of the same breed, licked her ear affectionately. I congratulated the queen and slipped gracefully out of the stuffy camp. Chance followed right behind.

"Each night you fill these tortured souls with hope as you tell them tales about your clans, you tell them of prosperity and gracious joys of prey. And we have that here. We traveled for weeks to find this perfect haven and we have settled in. Dogs and cats are mating, the rivers run clear, and the prey is plentiful." Chance stated.

"I am aware." I retorted. I instantly thought of Silverpaw, one of the apprentices. She was admirable and strong willed. I found contempt that I sounded like her. Chance snorted and continued talking in his deep rasp.

"Why aren't you happy here?" He demanded. I opened my mouth to reply but stopped myself._ Why wasn't I happy here?_

"I've been telling myself each night and day that I don't miss the clans. I tell myself I am content leading this new life. But I'm not!" I wailed. Chance offered me a comforting rare smile of his.

"Why don't you go back then?" He asked. I looked up at him as if her was crazy.

"I don't even know where to start looking. I could be a thousand miles away from the clans!" I argued.

"So start looking then." Chance said simply.

"Who would lead the group...who would tell them stories each night...who would comfort them when the flashbacks took over?" I rambled. Chance silenced me with a wave of his tail.

"Stop making excuses and just go if you aren't happy." Chance murmured.

"It isn't that easy Chance!" I growled.

"You're just a loner, you nothing about loyalty! I love these animals like my kin. I love them like clan mates. But I still love my old clan mates! I'm torn in half!" I screamed. I needed him to understand why I couldn't make this decision. I looked up a Chance and was surprised to find tears in his eyes.

"I no nothing about loyalty huh?" He said softly. I tried to back track and apologize but he cut me off.

"After everything I have done for you...I have been the most loyal deputy. I advise you, comfort you, help you with daily tasks. But even then you think you are the only animal here who feels loyalty to someone they left behind." Chance growled. An invisible wall seemed to appear, separating us. I never did learn his back story. I never asked how he got captured or who he had to leave behind. I had been heartless to him.

"Just go Blossom!" He shouted. I turned tail and fled. My paws scampered over grass and stone and I ran until the sun set and night fell across the sky. I ran through a forest and across thunder paths. My paws carried me in a steady rhythm until I was to exhausted to run any more. I fell asleep where I dropped that night.


	6. Disease

I woke up in a cage once more. I looked down at myself, I wasn't any older than the day I escaped from this place with the others. Or did I escape? Was it just another hallucination brought on by the powerful sedatives? I closed my eyes and tried recalling the events of my dreams. Something about them was off...a lax of detail. I remembered the sun shining but I felt no warmth. The wind blew my fur around yet I couldn't feel it. And everything was so quiet. There was no chattering of birds of the sound of rushing water. I realized with a start that everything was indeed fake. But now I had figured out how tell if something was real or not. I glanced around the room full of cages and felt relief as I heard chit chat and felt the cold cage pressed up against my white pelt. If I escaped this time it would be real. However since this is not a hallucination things would most likely not go according to plan. But nevertheless I had to devise a plan. I had to get out of here before I completely lost the ability to tell what was a hallucination and what was fake.

The door opened and the female walked over to my cage._ No no no!_ I thought with mounting terror. Not another day of torture! I calmed myself enough so that I could focus as she opened my cage. In the real world there wasn't a lock and key on the metal box. There was a latch. When the door closed it clicked, keeping the door of the cage attached to the wall. If I found a way to stop it from closing completely...if I used a wedge of some sort. I thought in deep concentration. The female opened the cage door and pulled me out. As she lifted me into her arms I got an idea.

A cat biscuit.

If I put a cat biscuit between the door and the side of the cage it would stop it from closing all the way, and it would be discreet enough to not tip off the twolegs.

Suddenly my senses seemed to weaken as the twoleg injected me with the sedatives once more and carried me to the testing lab.

* * *

I was sitting in a room, but I wasn't alone. All 3 twolegs were there, and they all were writing things down. I sat on a cold metal table. Beeping monitors lined every wall. My fur bristled in nervous tension as one of the twolegs approached me. He grabbed my scruff roughly and pulled out a long needle. This time it wasn't clear fluids that seeped into my blood, it was a thick red fluid. It immediately sent me into a fit of coughing and sneezing. My legs crumbled and I collapsed on the table. I felt so weak...

What was the drug doing to me?

My eyes glazed over, leaving me in a foamy darkness. I felt a twoleg hoist me up and carry me back to the holding room. The cage clicked open and I was dropped inside. I was far to weak to move a biscuit over to the door. They left me alone in my cage, and I heard them opening another door and grabbing another animal. This continued on all night. Each animal came back with some sort of symptom.

It could be itcing, sneezing, bloating, coughing, nausea, muscle spasms...No one had a clue to what was happening. This wasn't the every day torture where we saw monsters and felt pain. This was different. The drugs were attacking our nervous systems, infecting us from the inside. I sat up quickly as it dawned on me but then I had to lay back down because the throbbing in my skull was making me delirious.

"Chance." I moaned. I heard Chance stop scratching his forehead as he turned to face me.

"Blossompaw are you ok?" He asked warily before starting his scratching again.

"Chance." I said again while trying to get to my paws. "Its a disease." I whispered. Chance looked at me and growled, "Say that again."

"Its a disease." I replied. "They infected us with diseases. Its all a part of their research. They are observing us and studying us, the disease is just another phase of their testing. However this time, it won't get better as we go to sleep. This time we will die." I snarled before everything started to go black. The other animals heard me I started whimpering as they feared how long they had before death claimed them.

I wonder how much time I have left?


	7. Tom

The plan to escape was more simple than I expected. I told Chance about my dreams...how we always fled and then I woke back up here in my cage. He told me he also had dreams. But they were different than mine. He only told me that a dog he once cared about died in his dreams. Other animals chimed in, telling us about their dreams. It was interesting to have al those cats and dogs look to me for advise and comfort. When in reality I was just an apprentice. But the other animals all loved hearing a story about the clans or creating stories of their own. But the dark clouds that hangs over us all prevents us from getting close.

And we were all even more resigned when the torture stopped. After we had all been infected with a disease the twolegs stopped hurting us. Each day they would stick us in an empty room and write down observations. Most animals were relieved but I was even more worried. I knew the clock was counting down my days, hours and minutes. And I knew I didn't have long. So I developed an escape plan, one that would rescue _all_ of us. We spread the word through out the holding room so everyone knew what to do.

After the twolegs observed us and stuck us back in our cages we would slide a single biscuit between the latch and door, jamming it. I was nervous I would be too weak to even move, but after a week my symptoms of drowsiness weakened and were replaced with vomiting. It was painful but endurable. After we all had the door jammed we would wait until night. The twolegs would all have gone to their chambers and be sleeping. We would quietly slip out of our cages and hopefully be able to open the door.

For now we would wait.

* * *

The plan progressed smoothly, we all escaped from our cages and gathered at the base of the door. The larger dogs like Chance pushed on it until it creaked, and gave way. The excitement bubbled as we left the holding room. We were now loose in the building. We found a hallway leading out side and the dogs once more pushed the door open. However the instant the door opened an alarm raged through the building. Red lights flashed wildly and a screaming wail pierced the air. The alarm shrieked so loudly the twolegs would be after us in minutes.

"Run!" I shouted. No one needed any more advise, they sprinted. But to my dismay they started to scatter.

"Stick together!" I ordered. Chance started grouping everyone as they pelted across the gravel road towards the dense woodland. I did not follow them. I knew what would happen if I followed them. I had experienced this dream one to many times. I would lead them to safety, and end up having to run. I would betray them. So instead I headed in the opposite direction. Instead of streaking off towards the woods I walked in the direction of the distant twoleg compound. Small houses were clustered together, and with them the prospect of food.

I opened my mouth just slightly and various smells flooded my senses. Eventually I detected a mouse. I dropped into the hunters crouch and padded forward cautiously. I wasn't exactly sure what to do now that I had spotted the small creature. My mentor and I hadn't gotten very far in my training before I was...taken. I let out a huff and accidentally startled the creature, sending into scampering away. I watched it flee and my stomach rumbled.

"If you always hunt like that you're gonna starve to death." A voice chided behind me. I spun around in shock and faced an orange tabby.

"Who are you?" I asked warily. He snorted, reminding me of my old friend Chance. A pang vibrated through my heart. I missed all of the other animals immensely. My face hardened as I decided it was for the better.

"Who are you." I repeated more firmly this time. The orange tabby flexed slightly, showing off his rippling muscles. I inwardly ran for cover, but I was to stubborn to do that in real life. Instead I defiantly looked him in the eye.

"My name is Tom." He said curtly, his green eyes narrowed slightly.

"I'm Blossompaw." I offered, only to be shaken by a fit of coughs. I tried to force the coughing down but it only pressed harder. I keeled over and began wheezing on my side. Last nights dinner threatened to make a reappearance. Tom walked over to me and sniffed me delicately. His nose wrinkled in disgust.

"You're sick." He said flatly. I glared at him as if saying "Gee, I had no idea!"

Before I knew what was happening Tom had grabbed me by the scruff and was hauling me out of the open and into the twoleg compound.

"Jesse!" Tom called out through a mouthful of fur. I glanced to his side and saw a mirror image of him rushing over to me. The only difference was that this orange tabby was a she cat.

"Oh my." Jesse said worriedly. Then Jesse leaned forward and sniffed me just like Tom had done.

"She's sick, but I have never smelled this disease before. It isn't green cough or white cough." Jesse commented and began running a paw over my spine. I instantly retched.

"I brought her to you because I thought you might be able to help." Tom pressed. Jesse shook her head.

"She also smells like twolegs." Jesse said, more meaning hid behind her words. Tom looked down at me.

"I probably smell like twolegs because they are the ones that did this to me." I muttered dryly and started to get to my paws. Tom allowed me to lean on his shoulder.

"The animal testers." Tom whispered to Jesse. Jesse nodded in agreement. I glanced at them both and wondered how they knew about the twolegs and their operation.

"We have to help her." Jesse sighed. Tom looked at me and sighed as well.

"Help me carry her to the meeting wall." He ordered.

"I can walk just fine thank you!" I snapped. Both cats shrugged and guided me slowly through the many houses. Eventually we made it to an old abandoned house. It was crumbling, the only remaining structure was a brick wall.

"The meeting wall?" I guessed. The siblings nodded. Tom climbed up the wall and yowled. Suddenly cats appeared out of no where, an entire band of rouges.

"Everyone, we have an issue." Tom announced. I snorted, being called an issue wasn't exactly a compliment. Then Tom continued.

"I found another cat, she is even more sick than the others we have located. The twolegs must be stopped. They cannot continue testing animals like this!" Tom yowled. Murmurs of agreement rippled through the clan. Suddenly an old elder stepped forward.

"What is this cats name?" The old cat demanded. This time I spoke instead of Tom.

"My name is Blossompaw." I answered. The elder looked me up and down.

"A clan cat." He whispered quietly. I sucked in my breath as he said clan. He knew about the clans? Could he help me get home?


	8. Whisper

**Wow guys sorry about the slow updates D: I have just had some major writers block in this story. But no problem now, because I had a dream. It was a really weird dream but at least I know what to write about now, so back to the story!**

* * *

I woke up with stars in my fur. I instantly panicked, assuming I was dead. Suddenly a shadow emerged from the white fog surrounding me.

"Where am I? What's happened to me?" I wailed. The shadow silenced me with a flick of its tail. I knew that flick anywhere.

"Dad?" I said in wonder and amazement. The shadow nodded. "Dad!" I cried out and sprinted forward. Adderfang nuzzled me affectionately. I had never been so happy in my entire life. But then it dawned on me.

"Wait...if we're both here, that means...we're dead?" I asked in horror. My father shook his head.

"You are hear to receive a prophecy, only I am dead." Adderfang said softly. Tears threatened to spill over my eyes.

"You can't be dead, I've only been gone a moon at most." I pleaded. Adderfang scoffed.

"Your sense of time has been disrupted while you were in that place. Nearly 8 moons have passed." Adderfang explained.

"Your warrior ceremony is long over due." Adderfang added. I looked at him in even more confusion however Adderfang ignored me and plowed on with the ceremony.

"As a cat of starclan I approve of this young apprentice and commend her to a warrior." Adderfang began.

"Blossompaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and complete your mission, even at the cost of your life?" Adderfang demanded. I had no time to ask him what my mission was, all I could say was "I do."

Adderfang nodded and continued. "Then from this day forth Blossompaw will be known as Blossomleaf for her gentleness and quick thinking." Adderfang finished. Suddenly all of starclan erupted into cheers and chanted out my new name. I positively glowed, but it was nothing compared to my fathers prideful beam. Then the chanting diminished and Adderfang turned to face me once more.

"You will not hold your vigil tonight, we have to many things to cover and you will be waking up any minute now. To answer what is probably circling through your mind, I have been dead for only a weak now. I died simply of eating carrion. I got sick...much like you." Adderfang murmured. But then he straightened up and continued talking in a much firmer voice.

"The mission I have for you will be nearly impossible to complete. You have to save Ashclan." He stated. My mouth hung open in shock. _Ashclans been dead and gone for centuries, why now?__ why save it now?_

"Starclan is never proud of themselves when they let a clan die. And it has happened before. There a thousands of groups of clans all over the world. And every once in a while a new clan will have to be created because one of them fell. Not all of Ashclan died in the volcanic eruption so long ago. But the survivors had to leave because the other clans wouldn't take them in and they hardly had enough numbers to create another clan. They traveled far and have gone to a place not even starclan knows of. You have to find them and reconnect them with their Ashclan roots. You have to rebuild Ashclan." Adderfang said softly. I had no words for this daunting mission.

"It's time for you to wake up now Blossomleaf. And I wish you the best of luck in your journey." Adderfang murmured as he slowly began to fade from my vision.

"Dad." I croaked out as I woke up. The elder from the day before was hovering over me.

"Drink this." He ordered and gave me a leaf covered in an orange pulp. I looked at him warily. He sighed.

"It's for the cough." He explained. Only then did I remember my awful sickness. I quickly drank the pulp and thanked him. I stood up and scanned the meeting wall for any signs of Tom and Jesse.

"You want to find the cats that brought you here?" The elder asked.

"How do you know everything?" I demanded. He let out a throaty laugh.

"My brother and I used to be close, before he changed. When we were still friends we gained the ability to read the stars and their signs." The elder rasped. I was about to ask how only to be silenced with a look.

"What's your name?" I asked instead.

"Most call me Whisper." He said calmly.

"That is an interesting name." I said at last. He laughed and left me to go find Tom and Jesse. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the unmistakable orange pelts of the sibling cats. Both of them spotted me and raced over.

"How are you Blossompaw?" Tom asked.

"It's Blossomleaf now. And I'm fine thank you." I said. Both cats looked at me quizzically but didn't comment on my new name.

"Also, I need your help." I added just before they left. In a rush I told them all about clan life and where I came from. I explained starclan and Ashclan to them. And then I told them about my mission.

"...And so I need your help to find the remainder of Ashclan." I concluded. Both cats glanced at each other and seemed to reach an agreement.

"Blossomleaf, you are not the only cat to have escaped from that testing place. And others will be captured and taken there too. We will help you on your mission, if you help us destroy that place." Jesse and Tom said in unison. My eyes narrowed as I remembered all the cruel things the twolegs did to me and the disease they had infected me with. I had no problem with ending them.

"Deal" I stated coolly. And with that 3 of headed out, only to be stopped by Whisper.

"I'm to old to journey with you up to that place and be of any assistance. However I will come with you on your quest to find Ashclan." He announced like we had no say in the matter. But I didn't want to argue and waste time so I agreed and once more Tom, Jesse, and I marched off to the place where I had spent so much time being an object of torture. It was time to end what had begun 8 moons ago. I had to finish this.


	9. The Escape

I thought I was making progress with the healing process of the disease, I was wrong. The simple trek to the testing facility caused me to vomit 3 times. Tom and Jesse pressured me to rest but I knew I couldn't stop. If I couldn't make it to the building, how was I ever going to be able to save Ashclan? My fathers words circled through my mind and I tried to get an idea of where to start in my quest. Nothing came to mind. Starclan had no clue of what became of the last of Ashclan. No one even knew if my quest would be possible! I realized I was starting to get frustrated anf frustration only made me queasy. I sat down for just a minute to calm my nerves. Then I got an idea.

"Tom, Jesse." I called out. The orange cats stopped and rushed over to my side like I might collapse. I brushed off their attempts at helping me and tried to speak.

"We've been saying it all along, it's an animal testing facility. They were testing diseases on us, but for a reason." I began, my blue eyes were wild.

"Twolegs do weird things, but it's usually to help other twolegs. Maybe they were testing diseases on us...to see if they could cure them. Then they could create a vaccine for other twolegs, protecting them from the disease!" I nearly shouted. Tom started to catch on.

"If that's what they were doing, then there would be a cure in the building somewhere." Tom stated. Jesse smiled.

"That's great, but we would still need to find said cure and also find a way to destroy said building. The question is, how?" Jesse asked. I closed my eyes and pictured me in my cage. I was always able to find a way to escape. Now I needed to find a way back in. I recalled all of their methods of torture. On of them had to be my key to taking the place down. My eyes flew open as I figured it out.

"The burning gas." I whispered. Both Tom and Jesse looked at me quizzically.

"Once the twolegs tortured me by filling a room with a green smoke. The smoke made me feel like I was on fire. I was confined in a room so the gas couldn't hurt the twolegs...If I left the door open however and turned the gas on. Then the entire building would filled with the poisonous stuff." I explained.

"I bet it's flammable too." Tom said. I quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Flammable means it would ignite really easily, causing the building to burn down." Tom said quickly. Without hesitation we began racing towards the building. I ignored the pains of my sickness as we ran up the gravel road to the gray building.

"I'm going in alone. You 2 wait outside for me." I ordered as I ran to the front entrance. Tom and Jesse protested but I had already slipped inside, and they didn't follow me.

_Blossomleaf this is your escape mission. Find the cure, turn on the gas, run._

* * *

The long dark corridors were daunting however I wasn't prepared to back down. The ceiling lights flickered slightly and I walked faster. The only sound in the building was the soft padding of my pawsteps. At the end of the hall I reached the torture chamber. I froze as a sickening feeling crawled through my stomach. All the horrid memories came rushing back to me, I breathed slowly until I could compose myself. I gently pushed the door open and felt relief when I saw the twolegs weren't inside.

I looked around and realized I wasn't in the chamber, I was behind the glass where the twolegs would hide. I looked down at the panel of buttons and furrowed my brow. Colors and blinking lights flashed at me in confusing patterns. What one would trigger the green gas? I closed my eyes and sent my paw crashing down on a random dial. Water slowly filled the chamber. I immediately started pressing every button as quickly as I could. My paw froze as green gas seeped out of vents and into the room.

I quickly left the glass room and ran past the torture chamber. Gas was filling the hallway quickly. My tail suddenly started burning and I realized the gas was filling the building much quicker that expected. I came across a staircase and I dashed up it quickly. There was only one room at the top of the stairs. It was the room where the twolegs slept. 3 beds lined the walls along with clip boards and notes. Along another was sat row after row of liquid vials. Each containing a serum for an ailment. I carefully moved so I wouldn't alert the twolegs to my presence. However they would surely awake once the gas reached them.

I stared at each vial, debating what one I should drink. The burning sensation had now reached my legs, I had only minutes left. I carefully sniffed each vial. They all smelled like sickness, tinted with chemicals. But what sickness was mine? I recalled my symptoms. Nausea, weakness, vomiting, coughing. I sniffed the vials again and finally found one that smelled like me. I sent it crashing off the table and it shattered on the ground. I started greedily lapping up the fowl tasting medicine. However I awoke the twolegs and they exclaimed at my presence. The female sat it shock on her bed as she recognized my white pelt and icy blue eyes. The 2 other twolegs made a move to grab me only to fall down in pain as the gas attacked them. I also felt the burns but I was much more adapted to pain than them. I could hold out longer. I finished lapping up the medicine and I raced over to an open window. Without hesitation I flung myself from the room and I fell down and down and down. Once I hit the ground Tom and Jesse rushed over to me. I was conscious, but just barley. The lifted me up and started carrying me away. I looked up and over Toms shoulder at the building just as the first spark ignited. Then they entire building was up in flames, along with the 3 twolegs.

I sighed in relief, I had finally escaped from them once and for all.


	10. Cat Gangs

Tom and Jesse carried me to Whisper as quickly as they could. The old gray elder took one look at me and smiled. He let out loud purr and started exclaiming "She did it!"

All the cats at the meeting wall rushed over to my half conscious body. At first glance I appeared the same, along with some bruising. Then Tom leaned forward and sniffed me very carefully.

"She isn't sick anymore." He stated calmly, only to have his face break out into a smile. Cheers filled the air as the cluster of rogues celebrated. They didn't care about my well being, they only cared that I had had destroyed the animal testing facility. I had secured their safety. Whisper Tom and Jesse however knew the entire truth. I had only completed one task. And the other one was going to be very very difficult.

I rested the entire day and the day after that. Then Whisper prepared bundles of herbs for our journey. He patched up some of my scrapes from what he liked to call my attempt at flight. He had a good laugh about that joke, personally I find falling 50 tail lengths to be rather terrifying. The next morning we ate as much prey as our bellies could carry and drank enough water to drown in. And then we set out on an impossible quest to complete an impossible task. The rogues living at the meeting wall didn't try to stop us from leaving, instead they wished us good luck and farewell. These rogues were very understanding and helpful, not at all like the rogues that would sometimes come to the forest. I figured the rogues here could be good warrior material, but my mission wasn't to create a new clan. My mission was to save an old one.

I was quickly announced leader of our small patrol even though I had no clue where I was going. The others insisted that I must have some idea and so they allowed me to lead them. I started by going deeper into twoleg place. It would be quicker reaching the outside of it than going around. However it would not be easier. Snarling cats threatened us at every turn and became more hostile the closer we got to the city. Our group managed to prevail without harm until we got to the innermost workings of the city. That's when we ran into the bosses. The boss cats ran cat gangs; hoards of cats living under one tyrants control. In this city there were 2 Bosses, Ebony and Fang. Surprisingly enough the 2 used to be mates...or so I heard. Then one day they just broke up. They had a litter of 4 kits, 2 girls and 2 boys. Ebony took the girls and Fang took the boys. That sealed the fate of the cat gangs. Ebony's became a group of feminist cats where she cats ruled and toms were only there for breeding purposes. Fang was the exact opposite. Each side was powerful and hated the other passionately. So of course my small group of friends and I found ourselves caught in the middle of their war.

Fang and Ebony attempted to separate us. Ebony wanted Jesse and I while Fang wanted Whisper and Tom. Our little group managed to escape but sure enough both bosses sent out cats to retrieve us. My father named me Blossomleaf for my gentleness and quick thinking. I would have to leave gentleness behind if I was to survive through the city. However quick thinking would come in handy. I figured out it was a game between Fang and Ebony. They were both competing in some sort of dance, but they needed a partner to play. And Tom, Jesse, Whisper and I were just the pawns.

"We have to get out of here. Now!" I screeched to my companions. Everyone awoke with a start at my outburst. I looked up and I realized it was the dead of night. The perfect time for hunting. Or in my case, being hunted.

"What are you going off about Blossomleaf?" Tom demanded, sleep still clung to him like a burr.

"Run." I whispered. Everyone stared at me. "Run!" I shouted as the first of Ebony and Fangs cats came rushing towards us. I shoved Whisper to his paws and helped him run from the cats. However he was old and slowing us down.

"Tom. Jesse. Go on without us." I ordered. The siblings realized I wasn't in the mood for debating right now and they pelted on with out us. Without them Whisper and I would soon be outpaced by the other cats. Fear of being captured again drove me to run harder, I was practically dragging Whisper at this point. Then I saw Tom and Jesse, standing only 20 fox lengths in front of us. Why weren't they running?

Then I saw the wall. The alley had come to a dead end, exactly like Ebony and Fang had planned.

"No. NO NO NO!" I screamed as I stared up at the daunting brick wall. It was well over any cats jumping capabilities. Fang and Ebony's cats formed a wall behind us, trapping us. Their smiles rippled in the dim lighting. They had won. I was just about to surrender when a flying shadow leapt over the wall and landed between us and the ferocious cat gangs. I stared in awe at the giant dog growling and snarling at the other cats. Then I took in its ragged fur and raspy growl.

"Chance?" I said in astonishment.

"Hello Blossompaw." The dog responded as he nocked down 2 opposing cats with one swipe. Chances eyes gleamed with the prospect of a lively battle.

"Long time no see, Huh?" He snorted.


	11. The Last of Ashclan

We barley made it out of the city, without Chance we surely would have gotten captured...or worse. I lay down on the mossy ground lying just outside of the city. My heart hammered in my chest like a drum. I looked to my left at Chance who was licking a wounded leg, bitten by a snarling black cat.

"Thank you." I said genuinely to Chance. Chance looked at me sadly.

"Why did you leave Blossompaw?" He asked. I looked down at my paws with shame.

"My name is Blossomleaf now." I muttered. Then I tore my eyes away from my paws and I looked Chance dead in the eye.

"I left because I couldn't stay." I said softly. Chances eyes changed from sad to humorous.

"Blossompaw or leaf or whatever it is you go by now, I'm not mad. I was just a little hurt you left without a goodbye kiddo." He rasped. I nuzzled him and murmured I'm sorry. Chance was the closest thing I had to family at this point. I withdrew and began telling him about my mission. Chance nodded along like it all made sense to him, however I could tell I was rambling.

"I'll do what I can to help." Chance said at last. I smiled happily and rose to my paws.

"Great. We leave at dawn!" I announced. Everyone smiled at me and settled down for the night. I walked into the nearby grove of trees to look for prey. My mouth watered with the scent of rabbit and I dropped into the hunters crouch.

"You'll never catch a rabbit like that." A voice behind me spoke. I spun around to face Tom.

"This seems a lot like how we first met." I said skeptically. Tom laughed at me.

"Tell you what, if you promise that this time around you won't start coughing your guts out, I'll help you catch that rabbit." Tom proposed.

"Deal." I said evenly. Tom instantly dropped into a crouch, but it was different than mine. His weight was on his front paws instead of back. His tail was just slightly off the ground.

"When hunting rabbits they will hear you before they feel you so you have to be extra quiet." Tom informed me. I copied his crouch perfectly. Tom flashed me a praising smile. My heart fluttered slightly at his goofy smile. _Why did my heart just flutter?_

Tom crept forward alongside me. We spotted the rabbit grazing on Clover leaves. I snuck around it so I was to it's side. Then Tom surged forward, scaring the creature into my waiting paws where I swiftly bit the back of its neck.

"How bout we eat this rabbit and then we catch more for the rest of the group?" Tom asked lightly. I nodded and tore into the rabbit along with Tom.

* * *

In the morning we didn't waist time hunting, everyone just ate leftover prey from last night.

"Lets move out!" I announced and strode forward. A hint of salt twinged in the air, I knew exactly where I was going.

The 3 rogues didn't care where we went, they had been traveling all their lives. However Chance asked skeptical questions. He was making me start to question where I was going. Then I saw it...the ocean. I sucked in a gasp of air as I remembered Seaclan, one of the 3 clans. However I was no where near Seaclan. Instead of sandy beaches greeting a gentle ocean there where raging waves crashing against cliffs. The cliffs weren't large and perilous though. They were barley more than 5 fox lengths high. It was more like a ledge. But the frothy and churning waters where still daunting. If you fell in you wouldn't get back out.

"Lets follow this cliff line, maybe it will lead us somewhere." I stated calmly. Everyone nodded and we walked along the ledge. I looked forward but could see no end to the cliff ledge. Trees obscured my vision. It was an unusual area. The cliffs height was peculiar along with the trees. Instead of the trees falling back before they reached the edge of the rocks they went right up to the water. Usually there would be barren rocks on cliffs instead of trees. And there was also grass covering every inch of rock. Grass struggled to survive on rocks except in this place. Everything about this place was odd.

What exactly was this place?

Whisper looked just as lost as me. I suppose the strangeness of this terrain was stunting his star reading abilities. I brushed off my feelings of unease and I plowed on. Then we reached a twoleg house. It was right up along the edge of the cliff. It was a small blue paneled cottage in the middle of nowhere with no visible roads leading to it. It was also clearly abandoned because the roof was caving in. The frame of the twoleg house was still strong but the blue paint was peeling and almost all the windows were cracked. water was flooded around the base of the house, creating a bunch of little puddles. Then Tom voiced all of our thoughts aloud.

"Where are we?" He exclaimed. Suddenly a red cat emerged from behind the twoleg structure.

"Your trespassing is where you are!" He snapped. I stepped forward to face the hostile red cat.

"What's your name?" I asked soothingly, trying to show him we meant no harm. The cat straightened his back and glared at me.

"Foxclaw." He answered coldly.

"But that's a warrior name!" I exclaimed in shock. Foxclaw raised an eyebrow.

"What's a warrior?" He demanded. Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow.

"You aren't a warrior?" I said with disbelief. He shook his head.

"So you've never heard of Ashclan?" I pressed. Once more he shook his head.

"Then how do you have a warrior name?" I said in bewilderment.

"I don't know this is just what I was named." He said defensively. Suddenly another cat came out from behind the house. She was brown with white dapples all over her body.

"Fawndapple I told you to stay hidden!" Foxclaw said with exasperation.

"So she has a clan name too?" I muttered. Fawndapple ignore Foxclaw and addressed us.

"Please excuse my mate, we just aren't used to having visitors." Fawndapple said quietly.

"Who are you?" I asked. Fawndapple's blue eyes pierced mine as she whispered "I'm one of the last cats of Ashclan."


	12. Deal

My gaze darted from Fawndapple's to Foxclaw's. Obviously one of them is lying to me because there is no way Foxclaw can not even had heard of Ashclan while Fawndapple claims she one of the last warriors. Confusion flickered throughout my group. I coughed slightly to fill in the silence consuming us.

"Um..." Jesse trailed off awkwardly. Chance snorted and stepped forward, causing Fawndapple and Foxclaw to flinch.

"Explain how one of you doesn't know about Ashclan yet the other is claiming they are one of the last cats." Chance ordered. Fawndapple sat down and wrapped her skinny tail around her brown paws.

"There is an easy explanation. However why should I give it to you? You are trespassing on our territory, we can say or not say whatever we want." Fawndapple taunted. We could easily force an explanation out of them since it's 2 to 5, however I knew we were in the wrong and it was their land. I dipped my head and began retreating, only to be stopped by Foxclaw.

"We never said we wouldn't give you an explanation either. We just asked why should we." Foxclaw stated. I sighed with annoyance. I was getting sick of these odd cats.

"Just talk to us or don't!" I said exasperatedly. Fawndapple and Foxclaw glanced at each other and nodded, seeming to reach a conclusion. Before I could protest both cats were herding the 5 of us inside the blue twoleg nest. I was shocked to find an entire group of cats living in the strange house. There was a nest of 4 mewling kits as well as 2 apprentice age cats.

"Welcome...to Ashclan." Fawndapple said sarcastically. I exchanged glances with my friends. What exactly was going on here? Foxclaw climed up onto a fallen beam so he was looking down on the rest of us. No doubt he was the leader of...Ashclan. Fawndapple's mew tore my attention away from Foxclaw.

"This is Doveheart and Grayfoot." Fawndapple said, motioning to the gray and white cats._ But surely they are to young to be warriors! _I thought in confusion.

"And these are my kits, Shadowstep, Hawkwing, Mothpelt, and Tigerfang." Fawndapple proclaimed proudly. I couldn't help but protest this time.

"They're kits! How can they have warrior names?" I demanded. Foxclaw growled at my outburst but Fawndapple silenced him with a look. Perhaps she was running things after all.

"Our story is interesting and prepare to have many questions left unanswered. We ourselves do not know the entire story." Fawndapple explained. I motioned for my friends to sit down, I expected this to be a long story.

"I assume you know of Pineclan, Seaclan, and Mudclan because you have obviously heard of Ashclan." Fawndapple stated calmly. However she wasn't expecting an answer from us because she was already continuing her story.

"There is a story that tells of the founders of those clans. The first leaders each possessed a special power...one of the four elements. As you can imagine Those four cats wanted even more power than they already possessed. So they created the clans. And for a time they were satisfied with their powers and clans, but Ashclans leader was greedy. He wanted even more. He attempted to break a gatherings truce a take over all 4 clans, but in his attempt starclan stepped in. They caused a volcanic eruption to destroy Ashclan and their leader. Of course Ashstar could control fire and tried to stop the flow of lava. He failed. He perished along with most of his clan. Starclan saved the other 3 from the lava. The remaining cats of Ashclan were forced to flee and no one knows exactly what happened to them after that." Fawdapple said dramatically.

"I've heard that story before but it was different, very different." I murmured. Fawndapple laughed at my ignorance.

"Of course your story would be different, elders always spew the truth." She explained. I nodded and she continued.

"I don't know what exactly happened either but somehow the surviving Ashclan cats found this place. Blue house and all. But back then there were twolegs still living in this house. The remaining cats of Ashclan settled down to become kittypets and live a cushioned life. All except for my great great great grandparents. They chose to remain in the wild.

Anyways the twolegs eventually died and the house fell apart. The Ashclan cats that became kittypets didn't know how to survive off the land anymore because they forgot how to hunt. Most of them died. All except Foxclaws great great great grandparents. The two families lived together in peace, but they never tried to rebuild Ashclan. They let all of our heritage and culture disappear. All except for our names. We don't go from kit to paw to warrior like you do, we are born with our warrior names. About a moon ago there were more cats living here. A bunch more. However they chose to leave in the dead of night, abandoning those of us who where to weak to travel. I was pregnant, Doveheart and Grayfoot were mere kits, and Foxclaw was nursing a broken leg. So we were left behind. My mate Foxclaw was just lying to you to get you to leave earlier." Fawndapple muttered coldly. I could understand her resentment at her former allies.

"And that brings you up to date." Foxclaw snapped at us. He began ushering us outside, a clear signal we should leave.

"Wait!" I shouted before I was completely exiled from their land.

"I should tell you why I'm here too!" I pleaded. Foxclaw's eyes narrowed but he allowed me to speak. In a rush I told them all about my mission from starclan and how I had to turn them into a clan. Apparently what I said was pretty hysterical because Fawndapple and Foxclaw burst out laughing.

"It's not funny!" I shouted, but it only made them laugh harder. I scowled at them and was about ready to storm out of their kooky nest but then Tom spoke.

"Give us until the next full move to convince you to consider the idea of becoming a clan. In the meantime Doveheart and Grayfoot will train as apprentices and surrender their suffix's to the name paw. The kits will also have their suffix's changed to kit. Whisper will be our medicine cat and Blossomleaf can be leader." Tom offered. Fawndapple paused to consider our offer.

"And at the end of the full moon if we want to become a clan we can?" She asked. I nodded.

"What if at the end of the full moon we don't want to be a clan? We are making a deal...a bet, what's in it for us?" She demanded. I bit my lower lip, deciding. I couldn't think of anything so Chance spoke up.

"If we can't convince you to become a clan by the next full moon, then we will track down your former companions for you and 'deliver a message'." Chance snarled. I gulped at the prospect of having to deal with a bunch of feral traitorous cats. However I couldn't speak up now, I just had to wait for Fawndapple and Foxclaw's agreement.

"Deal." Foxclaw growled venomously.

"Deal." I repeated nervously._ How was I going to convince them to become a clan in less than a moon?_


	13. Training

"Are you sure you don't want to take the title Blossomstar?" My deputy Chance asked me. I stared back at him defiantly.

"A cat cannot take the name star unless they have nine lives. And anyways I don't actually plan on leading Ashclan if our plan succeeds and they become a clan. I'm just filling in the position for now…until either Fawndapple or Foxclaw show's their worth." I explained. Chance gave me his classic snort.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

"Your deputy is a dog. If you were _really _following the warrior code then I would be driven from this territory." Chance muttered.

"What are you saying?" I asked in confusion. Chance sighed.

"I'm saying the warrior code is valuable but won't work in our…delicate situation. All you have to do is change a few rules and tweak it a bit." Chance advised.

"Never." The warrior code has been around as long as the clans. I can't just change it!" I spat, closing the discussion.

"Besides," I mutter under my breath. "It isn't like there is an actual written rule in the code prohibiting dogs from joining clans."

* * *

"I have been thinking how I should go about transforming this group into a clan, and I think we should start with the names. Even though I am filling in the position of leader I won't be taking the name star, because I don't have nine lives." I began quietly. Foxclaws eyes gleamed as he heard me mention nine lives. I gulped before continuing.

"Doveheart and Grayfoot will be known as Dovepaw and Graypaw until they earn their warrior names. Fawndapples kits will be know as Mothkit, Shadowkit, Tigerkit, and Hawk-kit until they are 6 moons of age and become apprentices." I said loud and clear. I then turned to my own group of friends.

"And from this day forth Jesse will be called Amberfur for her blazing orange pelt. Chance will be known as Eagletalon for his noble bravery. Tom will become Flamepelt in honor of his fire like coat. And last but not least Whisper will further more named Whisperheart for his quiet voice and wisdom." I called out. A heavy silence filled the blue twoleg nest. I lowered my voice and added "Cheer and call out the new names now."

Cheers and chanting suddenly erupted in the house. I beamed as the kits went absolutely insane with pride of their new title. I cleared my throat and motioned for silence, I had a lot of explaining to do.

"In a normal clan the warriors would each mentor an apprentice...however everyone here will need some form of training." I stated. Then I jumped down from the fallen beam I was perching on so I could address the cats face to face. I sat down and embarked on the longest lecture in history. I explained everything from the clans way of life to how they eat. I described an ordinary day in detail. I explained patrols and ceremonies and vigils and scent markers. I then explained starclan, gatherings, and the place where you would meet with starclan. We still needed to find a place for all of these things.

"So first things first, we need to create a territory for us and lay down scent markers. That will be our clans land which we will protect from tresspassers. Foxclaw will come with me and Chance...I mean Eagletalon. We will tour the territory and decide on suitable markers." I announced. Foxclaw and Eagletalon nodded and followed me as we exited the twoleg house.

We created an immense space of land for us. More than we really needed but it gave us room to grow at least. We set a marker at a stream a ways away and one at the end of a field of rocks. We set another marker at a trench in the ground, creating a giant half circle surrounding the twoleg house and meeting at the low cliffs. On the way back I spotted a good sized patch of ground surrounded closely by trees.

"Apprentice training hollow." I noted. "Lets call in the Tree grove." I added. Then we continued our trek. I found a large boulder in a small field, a perfect place for gatherings. However I still didn't know where we could meet with starclan. No problem though, that would be a task for another day. Once the small patrol returned I took the remaining cats on a tour of the new territory and pointed out the apprentice training area and gathering place. Foxclaw stayed with the kits. When we got back I decided what to do about our training situation.

"Everyone needs training, including me. I suppose I will speak with starclan in my dreams and figure out a solution. Everyone else can get some rest too." I proclaimed. Everyone immediately settled down, however I noticed Foxclaw and his cats slept separately from mine. That would have to change if we were to work together. But I still had 30 days before the full moon, that should be plenty of time. I thought, trying to convince myself I had a chance.

* * *

My father Adderfang visited me once more through my dreams. He was smiling at me disbelievingly.

"Remind me to never underestimate you, Blossomleaf." Adderfang commented. I beamed at his praise and he continued.

"However you have just completed one part of your long mission by finding them and getting them to agree to clan ways. You have a very limited amount of time to pursued them. Also the stakes are high. If you cannot convince them to form a clan by the full moon...you'll have to track down all of those cats and kill them. Then you would never make it to starclan. So be careful." He cautioned. I nodded quickly and started asking him questions.

"How will we train when I barley can catch a mouse myself?" I demanded.

"I will train you in your dreams and then during the day you will have to take everyone down to the tree grove and collectively train them. So, to begin your lesson." Adderfang said as he crouched down into a stalking crouch.

"There are several ways to hunt. If you are hunting mice squirrels or voles you will keep your weight on your back paws like so. Then you will spring forward and trap the prey between your paws. If you are hunting birds you will need to keep as low as possible and have your weight evenly distributed in your paws. They don't have a great sense of smell and they can't feel vibrations in the ground. But to hunt them you need to stay in their blind spot." Adderfang instructed and began showing me all the positions to hunt forest creatures.

"...And when you hunt fish you have you paw raised so you can scoop it out of the water but make sure your shadow isn't scaring the fish. That's all I have time to teach you for tonight. Goodbye Blossomleaf." My father murmured and started to fade from my vision, only to be replaced with a bright light. I opened my eyes to the shining sun and I rose to my paws. Everyone was already awake so I signaled for them to follow me, the kits included. We couldn't leave them alone in the house. Today we would begin our warrior training.


	14. Street Cats

2 weeks had passed since we began our month of clan preparations. The partial Ashclan cats were coming along quite nicely in their training. The apprentices were eager to be given warrior names however that would have to wait for a while to come. Foxclaw proved to be an excellent fighter while Fawndapple was great hunter. Amberfur and Flamepelt were great at anything as long as they could work together. They were like 2 halves of the same whole, completely in sync. Even though they were siblings it made me jealous to see Flamepelt so close to another cat. But I brushed my jealousies aside and focused on Ashclan's prosperity. I had little over a weak left to take this group of rogues and turn them into a respectable clan. And to do so we would need more cats.

"Fawndapple, take Dovepaw and Graypaw and start the dawn patrol. Foxclaw, Amberfur, Eagletalon, and Flamepelt come with me. Whisperheart you stay and watch the kits." I ordered. Fawndapple took the patrol out and started remarking the territory while my group stared at me quizzically.

"I chose you all to come with me because we are going into the city and we need the strongest cats and dog to help me." I explained. Foxclaw interjected.

"Why are we going into the city?" He snarled. I cowered inwardly but on the outside I held his gaze and answered coolly.

"We are going into the city to hopefully recruit more cats. So keep a look out for the bosses and only target cats that would be helpful to our growing clan." I replied firmly and without another word we marched off. We stopped briefly to hunt and rest, the trek to the city was long. While we were resting I addressed everyone.

"We have to be careful not to tell anyone where the clan lies, we don't need the bosses to think of us as threats to their power and come and attack us. Just tell the cats about a clans way of life and be sure to mention all the good details." I shouted. Eagletalon nodded and signaled that we should continue on.

We reached the city by sunfall.

I warily flicked my tail, allowing the patrol to continue moving forward. We round a street corner and found ourselves in an alley way. Dumpsters lined the back walls of red brick twoleg shops. The patrol quickly maneuvered through the hostile section of felines when a skinny tortoiseshell she cat stopped us.

"_Well_ what an _odd_ looking group of cats we have hear. And _look_, they brought a_ dog_ with them." She commented to one of her cronies in a peculiar accent. She wasn't speaking directly towards us but the words were directed at our ears. I froze mid paw step and turned to face her.

"Hello. My name is Blossomleaf." I said through clenched teeth, biting back a stinging retort.

"Huh, what an _odd _name." She taunted. Her accent was strange, all the wrong letters were stressed in her sentences. It almost made her sound like she was asking a question.

"I am helping to rebuild Ashclan, would you like to join?" I muttered. She scoffed.

"What on _earth_ is an Ash Clan?" She jeered. However I saw interest light up in her golden eyes. I sucked in a deep breath of air and began retelling the history of the clans along with fanatical legends. I spoke loudly, to hopefully entice other eavesdropping cats. The tortoiseshell cat listened patiently through my entire story, but the instant it ended she was laughing like a crow.

"You _honestly_ expect anyone to _choose_ to live like_ that_?" She exclaimed. I glanced at my deputy Eagletalon nervously.

"Yeesss?" I replied cautiously. The snobbish she cat stood up and flickered her tail as if saying_ Well, you can go ahead and leave now._

I stood my ground, clearly irritating her. Then I turned to her cronies and any passerby cats.

"If you have any interest in joining come with me! And I promise you, the life of a clan cat is much more enjoyable and better fed than an alley cat scavenging off of twoleg waste!" I shouted before leading the patrol out of the alley and back onto the streets. I noticed 3 cats followed us, 2 were female and one was male. I hadn't decided whether or not their intention was to tail us or join us. I quickly whispered to Eagletalon that we were being followed. He nodded and passed the message along. Like true warriors we subconsciously slipped into a formation of geese. In unison we all stopped at once and created a circle, trapping the 3 cats inside. Foxclaw was about to growl at them but I silenced him with a look. If they did want to join we shouldn't scare them off.

"Hi, I'm Blossomleaf, what are your names?" I asked softly. The 3 cats glanced around wildly, only to find cats on all of their sides. I was silently bursting with pride for the patrol of cats and their quick thinking. A skinny black tom stepped forward.

"I'm Night." He offered.

"I'm Robin." One of the she cats said grudgingly. Her belly was ginger colored, and her back and head were gray.

"I'm Sun." The last she cat murmured. She was the youngest of the group, probably 11 moons to my 15. Her fur was long and golden. Her eyes were bright green. I couldn't help but notice Flamepelts eyes fixated on her._ She's not that pretty..._I thought snidely before shaking the thought from my head. It isn't like I have any clame to Flamepelt, were just friends. I focused my attention back on the trio of cats. Robin was speaking.

"My friends and I were wondering if we could potentially join Ashclan. Living on the streets can be hard sometimes." Robin stated.

"You shouldn't join a clan if you are looking for an easy life. All warriors participate equally in feeding the clan and patrolling its borders." I warned. Robin bared her teeth at me.

"I'm not a lazy ball of fluff, what do you take me for...a kittypet?" She seethed before calming herself.

"I know we would have to work and I am willing to do that, I was just saying that clan life sounded less dangerous than street life." Robin explained I nodded.

"It's almost night now, we should be heading back to the clan anyways. You are welcome to come with us." I offered. The 3 cats nodded and fell into step with us. We arrived back at the blue house by moon high. Without any help the 3 cats found moss and made nests for themselves and went right to sleep. I smiled and felt a purr rumble in my throat. We actually looked like a clan.

Tomorrow they would begin their training with us. Foxclaw will be put in charge of helping them catch up with the rest of the group. I decided firmly and curled up in my own nest. Sleep slowly carried me off.


	15. Moon Blossom

Over the course of 4 days we made repeated trips into the city, gathering as many cats as we could. We had gained 6 more cats at the end of the forth day.

I was still torn in deciding who would lead Ashclan by the full moon if we became a clan. Foxclaw was an obvious candidate however he was to rash when thinking. Fawndapple would make a good leader but she had her kits to account for. And everyone else was either too young or unprepared. I closed my eyes a thought about each cat in the clan, including the newly named 6.

**Current leader:** Blossomleaf

**Current Deputy:** Eagletalon

**Warriors:**

Flamepelt

Amberfur

Fawndapple

Foxclaw

Robinwing

Nightstreak

Suntail

Rabbitleap

Hollyberry

**Apprentices:**

Graypaw

Dovepaw

Poppypaw

Frostpaw

**Medicine cat:**

Whisperheart

**Medicine cat apprentice:**

Icepaw

**Elders:**

Volewhisker

* * *

They all had good qualities...some more than others, however none seemed like possible leaders. Eagletalon told me I would make a good leader but I didn't _want_ to be leader. I was just helping Ashclan get on its feet, once I picked a suitable leader I would step down to the position of warrior. However finding a leader was proving to be rather difficult. Especially when I hadn't even found a place where we could meet with starclan. All these cats were loyal warriors that abided by the code, however they were skeptical when it came to starclan. I needed to find the place that would keep their faith from shaking. After all what is a clan without starclan?

I sighed and rested my chin on my paws. Suddenly Flamepelt appeared by my nest.

"Hi." He whispered so he wouldn't awake the other sleeping cats. I lifted my head up quickly, my blue eyes lit up with relief.

"Hi." I whispered back. "What are you doing?" I asked as he squeezed into my nest with me. He laughed softly.

"I can tell you're stressed." He explained. I hung my head in shame.

"How did you know?" I demanded.

"You always get this look about you when you're stressed. You look too stiff and focused." Flamepelt commented.

"I'm surprised you even noticed since you always seem to be padding after Suntail." I muttered. Flamepelts ears went back. _Did I really just say that out loud?_

"What are you talking about?" He demanded. Plain hurt flashed across his face. I tried to apologized but I just came off as defensive.

"It just seems like you are wrapped around her paw...sometimes." I said lamely. Flamepelt immediately stood up.

"Well maybe I should be talking to Suntail then instead of you!" He hissed. My eyes widened and settled down into a scowl.

"Fine. See if I care." I murmured and curled up into a ball, facing away from him. I heard him pad away and retreat to his own nest._ How could I be such an idiot?_ I thought bleakly. I basically just chased him away because he was trying to be nice! Now what was I going to do? I strained my ears and I heard Flamepelt shifting in his nest, the I heard Suntail's innocent mewl.

"Are you awake Flamepelt?" She asked sleepily. I shifted slightly so I could watch what happened. Flamepelt glanced at me before turning to Suntail.

"Yes, did I wake you?" He asked apologetically. My heart clenched.

"No, well a little bit." Suntail said sheepishly. I had had enough of their flirting. I abruptly stood up, drawing in both Suntail and Flamepelts attention. I nodded to them curtly before jumping out of an open window and scrambling out of the house. My paws hit the ground and I started running. My white pelt streaked through the forest, I didn't know where I was going I was just running, trying to escape. I looked behind me repeatedly to see if Flamepelt followed me. He didn't. Tears threatened to spill over my blue eyes but I forced them down. I was being silly. I had no reason to be upset...I'm the one who created this mess after all! However that didn't stop me from letting out a choking sob. I sniffled quietly and decided to go back to the twoleg nest, only to realize I didn't know where the twoleg nest was. I had run directly out of the territory and into some unknown forest. I walked forward cautiously and started sniffing the air, looking for some sign of the way back.

Suddenly a sickening vision clouded my vision. Lava flooded through the forest in waves a burning fire. Everything in it's path was destroyed. The blinding heat froze me in place. Everything in the lavas path was burned and destroyed. Then I saw them. The cats of the ancient Ashclan...the ones that perished in the volcanic eruption.

_Ashclan will fall once more!_ They wailed as lava drowned them, only to resurface above the fire once more.

_There is an evil among you! The brightest of lights can just be the first flames erupting into destruction. Beware Blossomleaf. Because this time you will not Escape!_ The cats chorused. I stared in shock an horror. Who could be the evil that would cause Ashclan to fall once more? We weren't even a real clan yet! Suddenly the vision faded, leaving me once more in the darkness of night. I opened my eyes slightly and was relieved to find the forest perfect and whole. Not a single spark flew by. I shakily started walking back in the direction I assumed lead to the twoleg house. Suddenly the ground beneath me gave way and I plummeted down several tail lengths. A scream was stuck in my throat. I was surprised to find I was in an underground tunnel.

I walked around cautiously. I was in a gigantic cavern. My mouth hung open in shock as I explored the cavern. I turned suddenly as I saw a twinkling in the corner of my eye. I ran forward exitedley as I saw a large shiny stone. It shined like athousand diamonds, it was easily bigger than a cat.

"Could this be a diamond created from the eruption that destroyed the first Ashclan?" I wondered aloud. Could the lava really have gone that far? I stared at the shiny stone and I finally figured out it's shape. It looked like a flower, a budding blossom. I leaned forward and gently touched my nose to the stone. I was instantly swept away into a deep sleep, I awoke in starclan.

"Congratulations Blossomleaf." My father praised.

"You have found the moon blossom." He said at last.


	16. The Fight

I somehow found my way back to the twoleg nest. I walked drearily inside of the blue house, mud coated my white fur. Flamepelt glanced up at me from the squirrel he was sharing with suntail before quickly looking away. It might have been my imagination but I swore I saw Suntail glance at me smugly. However I wouldn't let her get underneath my pelt, I had more important matters to cover. I quickly groomed my fur until it appeared less...crazed. I jumped onto the fallen beam which somehow became the clan's announcement place.

"Ahem." I cleared my throat, drawing all eyes on me.

"While I was...out last night I stumbled upon the Moon Blossom. That is where we will meet with starclan. tonight is the half moon so Whisperheart and his apprentice can speak with starclan." I proclaimed. Several cats cast me disbelieving looks while others simply acknowledged that I had spoken.

"I can see some of you...are having a little lack of faith. Tonight anyone who wants to speak with starclan can come, however one cat will need to stay with the kits." I added. Flamepelt immediately stood up.

"I'll stay behind." He said abruptly, before sitting back down next to Suntail. Suntail turned to him and whispered, "I'll go with Blossomleaf, I can't wait to see what a joke this turns out to be." She said snidely. I bit my lip so I wouldn't say something I regretted. Instead I addressed the clan once more.

"It's a long walk to reach the moon blossom so we will leave at sun high." I stated before retreating to my nest. I buried my nose in my fluffy white tail and pretended to be asleep. I just didn't want to have to sit through a day of awkward encounters with Flamepelt.

* * *

The patrol of cats followed me through the forest, I pretended to be confident but Suntails whispering was putting me on end. I could hear her rude little comments about my incompetence all the way from the back of the patrol. I swear she was whispering loudly just to through me off.

"We're here." I declared at last. The sun was starting to fall behind the tall trees, creating a blue yellow and pink sunset. All of the cats looked around in confusion.

"Um, so what exactly are we looking for?" Suntail scoffed. Several cats mewed in agreement, I flushed slightly under my pelt.

"It should be around here somewhere..." I muttered under my breath. I walked forward and suddenly fell through the ground again.

"Found it!" I called out to the alarmed clan above. 2 of new rogues that had joined our clan jumped down first.

"Hi Hollyberry and Rabbitleap." I mewed with relief. The dark tunnel could be creepy when you are by yourself. Suddenly more cats were jumping down until the cavern was filled with Ashclan cats. I closed my eyes and waited silently until the first rays of moonlight peaked over head. Suntail was just about to make a scathing comment when the moonlight hit the cavern, illuminating the Moon Blossom. Even Suntail was struck speechless by its beauty. I walked forward so I was directly in front of the Moon Blossom.

"Once you touch noses with it you will fall asleep and share dreams with starclan. Go ahead." I murmured to everyone. The clan situated themselves around the stone so everyone had enough room to touch noses with it. Nightstreak bravely went first. His eyes closed after a moment, causing excitement and unease to ripple through the clan. Soon enough everyone had worked up the courage to touch noses to the Moon Blossom. All except me. I decided there wasn't enough room for me to slip in so I would just stand guard. I lay down and folded my paws neatly together while I watched the stars. A growl from behind me startled me to my feet.

"Oh, Suntail its just you...what's wrong?" I asked slightly ruffled. The golden cat didn't answer.

"So they really are asleep...all of them are talking with starclan?" She asked warily. I nodded. Suntail then turned to me.

"So they won't be waking up anytime soon?" She questioned.

"No." I replied warily. Suntail took a step forward, causing me to take a step back. The vision of the lava filled my head. Would Suntail somehow cause Ashclan to fall? I thought with terror.

Suntail stalked forward, backing me up against the cavern wall, I was trapped.

"I never should have invited you into the clan." I whispered. Suntails fangs glistened dangerously in the moonlight.

"You really shouldn't have." She said mockingly.

"Why are you doing this?" I demanded.

"Ha!" She scoffed. "Why wouldn't I?" She asked but didn't expect an answer.

"With you tragically disappearing I can slip in as leader and control this little arangment you have going on. Not to mention I can have Flamepelt." She snarled. My heart clenched.

"Never!" I shouted and sprang forward, knocking her off her paws. Suntail quickly regained her footing and rushed forward. We began to spar, dealing blows and countering each others attacks. We were soon both battered and bloody but neither was willing to give in.

"You may be a clan cat but I'm a street cat. I can hold my own and you _will_ lose." Suntail declared quietly. She lifted her paw and slashed my belly, blood welled up and started pouring out. Suddenly I saw a flash of flaming orange out of the corner of my eye.

"Flamepelt?" I said with disbelief, I flinched slightly at my open wound. The orange cat nodded.

"Oh Flamepelt I'm so glad you are here! I was just sharing dreams with starclan when Blossomleaf attacked me!" Suntail lied. My mouth hung open in shock.

"No I didn't..." I said pathetically. Flamepelt growled and stalked forward, approaching me with a dangerous look in his eyes. The prophecy's words rang in my ears again._ This time Blossomleaf, you will not Escape._

"Flamepelt no." I whispered. He continued to walk forward, his claws unsheathed. Suntail smiled from behind him, she was right...she had won.

Suddenly Flamepelt spun around and lunged forward, knocking Suntail to the ground. She was so stunned Flamepelt had plenty of time to deal a couple good blows to her exposed belly.

"What are you doing?" She hissed in rage and attempted to through him off, however he was too heavy.

"Fawndapple stayed behind with me to watch the kits. Once they fell asleep I decided I would go and check out the Moon Blossom with everybody else. I saw the entire thing."Flamepelt seethed. Suntail cringed slightly as Flamepelt dug his claws in deeper.

"I will let you go but you will leave this forest and never return. And you will also not return to the city. I don't want the bosses after us because of you, you lying scum." Flamepelt ordered. Without waiting for Suntail to agree he allowed her to get up and run. I immediately found myself pressing my face into Flamepelts fur.

"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too." He said softly. I stepped back and looked down at my stomach, blood continued to flood out. I let out a gasp of pain and shock before collapsing. Darkness started swallowing my vision. I vaguely heard Flamepelt screaming my name.


	17. You Will Not Escape

I felt the pain before I woke up. Whisperheart was trying his best to save me but my injury was bad. I could smell Flamepelt though. His scent lingered by my nose, he never left my side while Whisperheart tried to stop the bleeding.

After I had collapsed Flamepelt dragged me by himself out of the cavern. But he couldn't drag me all the way back to the twoleg nest. He waited anxiously for someone to finally wake up from their dreams.

When cats finally started opening their eyes I was half dead. The clan quickly carried me back to the twoleg nest. Whisperheart sent his apprentice out to gather cobwebs and herbs while he tried in vain to seal my wound. Eventually he declared my life was in starclans paws. I tried to move or speak...to show him I was still worth fighting for. However I just lay there, a lifeless scrap of fur. I felt Flameplet lick my coat soothingly. At least if I was to die I would know that he cared about me.

But I would not let myself die.

Ashclan still needed me, they were just starting to understand clan ways...they hadn't yet completed their training. If I died Ashclan would fall. Just like the prophecy warned, Suntail would cause Ashclan to fall.

* * *

I spent the next week in the medicine cat den. Flamepelt never left my side, not once. On the day of the full moon I opened my eyes. Today Fawndapple and Foxclaw would either decide to become a clan or cats out all the rogues we had gathered. And the odds were not looking good.

"Flamepelt." I whispered, flamepelts eyes opened immediately. He had been sleeping next me.

"Blossomleaf!" He exclaimed. The clan seemed to miraculously appear right next to me, Eagletalon snorted and shook his head in disbelief. I couldn't remember a time when I missed that dogs snort so much. Whisperheart ushered the clan away, I was still too weak. However I need to speak with Foxclaw and Fawndapple. As if on cue the two cats appeared.

"We have reached a decision." Foxclaw muttered gravely. My eyes widened in despair. Then Foxclaws eyes lightened up a bit.

"We will give you another week to convince us, to make up for the time you were cooped up in here." Foxclaw stated. I smiled with relief and sunk back down into my nest of moss. I could hear the kits cheering in the back round.

"That's wonderful." I said with a yawn and closed my eyes sleepily. Flamepelt quickly shooed the rest of the clan away so I could sleep in peace.

I woke up to the curious faces of four kits. I nearly jumped out of my pelt as they startled me awake. I heard Fawndapples anxious mew as she searched for her kits.

"They're over here." I called out as Mothkit started to crawl up my back. I laughed as Fawndapple scolded them and marched them back to their nests. Flamepelt instantly appeared by my side with a squirrel. I suddenly remembered how famished I was. I devoured the squirrel and rolled over onto my belly, I could just about burst I was so stuffed. However I had important matters to attend to.

"Eagletalon, organize a dawn patrol to remark the borders and keep a look out for Suntail, she could try sneaking back onto our territory. I want double the patrols until we are sure she is gone." I ordered.

"And Flamepelt, You get a group of cats to clear out all the fallen beams in this place so it is nice, open, and cleared. Then use the beames to create dens for warriors, apprentices, etc." I said. Flamepelt nodded and selected the strongest warriors in our group.

"Amberfur, you take the medicine cat apprentice Icepaw and gather herbs so Whisperhearst store is well stocked." I continued.

"And you will be doing stretches to help heal your wound." Whisperheart ordered. I sighed and stood up so I could start my exercises.

Throughout the rest of the day patrols came and went and the old twoleg house became a camp for Ashclan. All the dens were secure and large, completely covered in moss so they were extremely comfortable. Amberfur and Icepaw came back with jawfuls of herbs that Icepaw excitedly started organizing in the shelves Flamepelt built for the large medicine cat den. The leftover beams were used to create a staircase of sorts that the leader could make announcements from. In fact I had an announcement to make right now.

"Tonight is the full moon, where I come from every full moon the clans would gather to share news. Even though we are just the one clan it would be a good tradition to uphold. We can talk and discuss things in peace just with our own clanmates." I declared. The clan nodded in agreement and went back to working on the house. Broken shards of glass were cleared away from the window sills and were buried deeply. A hunting patrol returned with bounties of prey and created a prey pile in the center of the house. Flamepelt made a pedestal like stump so the prey wouldn't get soggy from being on the ground. I smiled as the clan worked fluently together. I could almost taste the moment when we became a true clan. It was hard to believe we weren't a clan right now. But Foxclaw and Fawndapple still had the final say. And I still had a lot of convincing to do.

* * *

The clan gathered at the round boulder in the light of the full moon. Each cat had a turn to sit on the rock and discuss news or share ideas that would be beneficial to the clan. I especially liked Graypaw and Dovepaws idea To create a trail to the Moon Blossom so we wouldn't get lost. Soon the moon started to be replaced with dawns early lights and the gathering closed. We walked back to camp with Flamepelt watching me like a hawk.

"I'm fine, I swear." I said sternly to him. He wasn't buying it. Once we got back to camp I started heading towards the medicine cat den but Flamepelt stopped me.

"I got clearance from Whisperheart that you are stable enough to live in your own den now. Come on I have a surprise for you." Flamepelt said eagerly. I followed him suspiciously and discovered that he had created an immense den underneath the staircase. It was easily as big as the moss cushioned nursery.

"Ta-da! Leader den!" Flamepelt announced. I was stunned.

"This is...amazing!" I said at last. Flamepelt lead me inside like an over eager apprentice. He had even created a nest for me.

"Thank you." I said sincerely as I sat down in the feathery nest. Flamepelt nodded and licked my ear affectionately before retreating towards the warrior den. My heart still fluttered each time out pelts touched. I wondered if that feeling would ever go away.

I fell into a deep sleep and was shocked to find myself face to face with Adderfang. His eyes had a glazed look about them, he was repeating something over and over again.

"You will not escape this time Blossomleaf. You will not escape this time." He chanted. I back away in fear. That was in the last prophecy too...perhaps Suntail hadn't completed her mission yet after all. She had tried to destroy Ashclan once, she might try again. And this time I would not escape.


	18. Ebony

The next moon was chaotic. All the events that had taken place were all jumbled up in my mind. Thankfully Foxclaw and Fawndapple decided it was for the best if we became a true clan, Ashclan. However there was a vote as to who should lead and I won by a landslide.

"You don't understand...I can't lead!" I exclaimed. Eagletalon snorted.

"What do you think you've been doing for the past moon Blossomleaf?" He said. "You created a clan!" He pressed. I shook my head defiantly, only to hear a snarl of rage coming from the elders den. The cranky old cat we had taken in weeks ago hadn't had a voice in the clan. Until this very moment.

"Tell me Blossomleaf, are any of these cats competent to lead?" Volewhisker demanded. I flushed under my white pelt.

"Now I don't know a lot about clans, however I do recall a rule in your warrior code. A cat can't become leader unless they were a deputy, and to be deputy you have to have mentored at least one apprentice. You mentored an entire clan. You are ready for this." Volewhisker rasped. I bowed my head in defeat and nodded, I would lead. Cheers filled the twoleg nest and chanting of Blossomstar filled the air. I silenced them with a flick of my tail. Tonight Whisperheart and I will travel to the Moon Blossom where I will receive my nine lives." I declared. Suddenly a scoffing yowl tore apart the happy environment. A golden cat with green eyes sat on a window sill.

"Suntail!" I snarled, however my stomach was still healing and I couldn't attack her. Flamepelt stood protectively in front of me.

"You aren't welcome here." He growled warningly. Suntail scoffed as if saying, why would I want to be here?

"I'm here to speak with 'Blossomstar.'" She said disgustedly. My lip curled back in a snarl.

"I'm here to tell you I've won, you pathetic scrap of fur." She spat, and then smiled._ What does she mean she's won?_ I thought warily. Suntail continued her rant.

"You see after Flamepelt foolishly let me go I immediately went to the city. He actually gave me an idea of how to enact my revenge on poor, sweet Blossomstar. I will destroy her dearest clan." Suntail mocked. Robinwing and Nightstreak stepped forward.

"Why are you doing this?" They demanded, recalling the once sweet Sun they knew. Suntail simply glared at them before turning to address me. Her gloating pride was to much for her.

"I found the cat boss Fang and after a few soft spoken words I had him wrapped around my paw. Together we will destroy Ashclan. You have until the half moon to ralley your forces, but I know you fail Blossomstar. I've already won!" Suntail laughed and before we could catch her she was racing off into the forest. How was our small clan going to fight of a city full of Fang's cats? Then I remembered what my father named me for, I was a quick thinker. And I would have to use my intelligence to get out of this mess.

"Flamepelt, Foxclaw, Nightstreak." I called out. The 3 toms instantly looked up at me.

"Start patching up the house, make it a fortress that will be impenetrable. Use the broken glass and scatter it around the main entrance and windows. If Fang and his army tries to get inside they will have another thing coming." I ordered. Then I turned to Fawndapple and Amberfur.

"You 2 are coming with me." I said as my eyes narrowed, a plan was formulating in my mind.

"Ebony only listens to she cats, she is what most would call an extreme feminist. She should be willing to listen to us." I murmured. Fawndapple nodded at me, urging me to continue with my plan.

"Once she learns her ex-mate Fang plans on over throwing Ashclan and taking control of the forest she will have to step in...or risk losing their own little competition. Those 2 despise each other, but they love the game. And Ebony won't let Fang win." I explained.

"If she agrees to help us stop Suntail then the battle will be evenly matched. But Fang will have toms on his side, Ebony only has she cats. We could still lose. Oh well I'll think of something later." I declared and Amberfur, Fawndapple, and myself raced over to the city.

* * *

"What do you want?" Ebony snarled. I looked around fearfully at her little empire. She controlled the south side of the city, the side with more alley's and big buildings. In the largest alleyway her cats had arranged the dumpsters so they formed palace walls for the fierce leader. Ebony sat upon and old twoleg chair that had been thrown out, she was gnawing on a fish bone. Her Hench cats circled us ferociously, warning us not to try anything.

"I'm here to warn you." I said softly. Ebony's amber eyes glittered darkly, telling me I may proceed. Once more I told the story of the clans and how I had rebuilt Ashclan in the forest.

"However one of our cats, Suntail, turned on us. And now she has Fang on her side." I stuttered. Ebony's eyes flashed.

"What do you mean she is _working_ with Fang?" Ebony snarled. I stammered slightly before explaining.

"She uh...um, I think they are mates now. And she plans on using him to destroy Ashclan. If that happened they would control the forest and the north side of the city." I explained. Ebony rose to her paws. She was speaking more to herself than me.

"That traitorous scum! We had kits together...we were mates! And now he's run off with some tramp...the male mind is so weak, easily manipulated." Ebony sighed.

"I thought you were the one that broke up with him." I said in confusion. Ebony glanced at me, as if being reminded of my presence.

"Of course I broke up with him! I loved him, but we were always fighting. We always were competing with each other. Yet that doesn't mean he can just move on!" She hissed.

"I never loved another tom after him...never! So yes Blossomstar, I will help you fight off Fang. _If _I get be the one to kill Suntail." Ebony said softly, however venom leaked behind each word. I gulped.

"Agreed." I whispered. Ebony nodded, sealing the deal.

"I will visit your...Ashclan, to devise a battle plan." Ebony added and flickered her tail, signaling we should be leaving now. I bowed my head in gratitude and left her fortress. Suntail hadn't won yet, I was still a player in the game.


	19. Nine Lives

I returned to camp with pride etched across my face. Enlisting Ebony's help hadn't been as difficult as I thought. However Fang and Suntail where still a force to be reckoned with. We would need even more help if we were to survive this battle.

I located Eagletalon easily in the twoleg nest. He was chewing in a squirrel bone in the corner of his nest. Once he saw me he stood up and padded over to me.

"I need to talk to you." I said. He nodded and rasped "Me too."

We walked over to my den and I sat down in my nest of feathers.

"I need to travel to the Moon Blossom to receive my nine lives before Suntail attacks. However I suspect she might be guarding the Moon Blossom so I can't get my lives." I explained. Eagletalon nodded.

"Take a guard with you, I used to be a guard dog before the twolegs captured me." My deputy sated calmly.

"I actually need to talk to you about that." He added. I waited for him to continue.

"I never told you my back story, I guess I never viewed it as important. But I need to tell you now. A long time ago I was a guard dog. I had been trained by twolegs to protect other twolegs that were disabled. Then I got a back injury in a fire. I was pulling my master and his other dog out of the fire when a burning beam fell down and hit my back. I lived of course, however the twoleg officially retired me from being a service dog. But they twoleg and I were close so he kept me. I fell in love with his other dog Cherry, and we had puppies. However my stunt with the fire made big news. I was called the hero dog. And people payed big money to buy my puppies. Soon they were all gone except one. A little white puppy named Rosette. Cherry gave me the puppy and told me to leave with her...to save ourselves. But she stayed behind to take care of her master.

For a while my daughter and I lived in harmony. She grew up in the forest and never asked about life outside. But when I got older I had to stay in my den more often. She would venture out of the forest and visit less and less often. I think she found a home with twolegs or met a dog. Either way one day she just never came back. I went out looking for her and that's how the evil twolegs found me. Before I knew what had happened they had be caged in the back of their monster." Eagletalon said softly. My heart reached out to him, I honestly had no idea how that would feel. But I didn't know why he was telling me this now. Eagletalon looked up at me with sad eyes.

"I'm telling you this because I'm leaving, I'm going to go look for my daughter. For now I resign as a warrior, you should probably call me Chance. I don't know if our paths will ever cross again, but I wish you the best of luck Blossomstar." Chance murmured and rose to his paws. I stared in shock and horror as he padded out of the house and away into the forest. All my memories came rushing back at me in a guilty swirl.

After we escaped I just left him alone without ever even saying goodbye...just like his daughter. Could I have somehow prevented him from leaving?

Suddenly Flamepelt entered the den. He was proudly carrying a thrush he had just caught. He dropped it at the sight of my expression.

"Blossomstar what's wrong?" He demanded. I wordlessly pressed my face into his pelt, seeking out his comfort. Through sobs I explained.

"Eagletalon is gone!" I wailed. Flamepelt pulled back.

"What do you mean gone?" He asked gently.

"He left." I whispered and tried to stop my sniffling. If I was going to lead Ashclan to victory against Fang I had to be strong. Flamepelt started to comfort me but I stopped him.

"I need to get my nine lives. Now." I murmured. Flamepelt nodded and didn't ask why. He motioned for Whisperheart to follow us. I leaned on his solid orange shoulder most of the way to the Moon Blossom. When we arrived I immediately pressed my nose against the cold stone. I wanted nothing more than to just be somewhere else. Somewhere far far away. I woke up in starclan.

"Hello Blossomleaf, tonight you will truly become Blossomstar of Ashclan. You succeeded, you rebuilt the clan. However it is already being threatened by another force. I will give you your first life." My father Adderfang congratulated. I smiled slightly at seeing my father so proud of me.

"For your first life I give you patience. Think of it like training an apprentice. They might not always get it on the first try. You have to be lenient." Adderfang murmured and leaned forward. I jerked backwards in pain. I felt the agony of having my first life stripped away to be replaced with this new one. Adderfang padded away and a shadowy figure stepped forward. I was still recovering from the shock of receiving my first life when the cat started speaking.

"My name is Mossear. I was one of the Ashclan decedents living with Fawndapple and Foxclaw. I give you a life for compassion. Don't abandon someone because they might slow you down. Instead help someone in need. I spent the last moon of my life regretting leaving those cats behind. And I will always regret it." Mossear growled before pressing his nose against mine. Agonizing pain ricocheted through my body. Mossear retreated into the shadows only to be replaced with another cat.

"My name is Leafheart. I was a medicine of Seaclan before my untimely death of getting swept out to sea. I give you a life for wisdom. All my life I made choices that hurt other cats. Cats I cared about. In hindsight I would have acted differently. But you don't always know what the out come of your actions will be. So I give wisdom to educate yourself to hopefully make better choices than I did." Leafheart smiled slightly, as if recalling her many bad decisions. She leaned forward and touched her nose to mine. Guilt embarrassment and grief washed over me like a wave of pain. I cringed only to have Leafheart withdraw and pad away. My forth life stepped forward.

"My name is Rock, I was the first cat to ever lead a tribe or clan. I give you a life for acceptance. I know what pain is Blossomleaf. I have lost more than you could ever imagine. However my reaction to the losses has plagued me far worse than I ever thought. I am still paying for my actions. So I hope you will learn to accept the things you cannot change. But fight for the things you can." Rock, the old blind cat murmured. He touched my nose and what I felt was indescribable. I literally thought I was going to die from pain. But I didn't and my fifth life stepped forward.

"Mom!" I cheered and ran forward to meet my mother.

"Hello Blossomleaf." My mother cooed. However she had to continue on with the ceremony.

"I give you a life for love. The love a mother has for her kits. When I lost you I lost my whole world. Use this love the care for and nurture your growing clan." My mother said softly. I eagerly stepped forward to receive this life.

It was painful, but each ounce of pain felt like love to me...I had missed my mother so much. But all too soon she was gone and my sixth life had appeared.

"My name is Skywatcher. I am from another clan much like yours. It was destroyed and had to be rebuilt too. Interestingly enough the cat that saved my clan had a sister who had a litter of kits. Flamepelt and Amberfur and her kits. Our world is connected in so many ways, so many ways that are invisible to the naked eye. I give you a life of devotion. Be devoted to your clan, never let go." Skywatcher ordered. I accepted his life and waited for the seventh. I had just a few more lives to go.

"My name is Ash. I was the first leader of Ashclan. I give you a life of humbleness. Do not overestimate your power...it will be your downfall. Be thankful for what you have." Ash ordered. I nodded frantically. This ominous gray cat caused me to shiver. I touched his nose and felt pain not only physical, nut mental. I felt the pain of losing, of realizing you couldn't save yourself no matter how hard you tried. Suddenly Ash was gone, and my eighth life was staring at me.

"My name is Spiderkit. I was Fawndapple and Foxclaws fith kit. I died before I had ever even breathed. However my mother still named me and loved me all the same." The small kit whispered.

"I give you a life of adventure. Seize each opportunity to live your life to the fullest. Live for those who never had a chance." The kit squeaked. I leaned down so our noses could touch.

The next thing I knew I was on my last life. I was receiving my last life. The feeling was so surreal.

"Hello Blossomleaf." A chill voice called out. Suddenly a golden cat stepped forward. She looked exactly like Suntail...but she was different.

"My name is Sand. I am Suntails mother. Even though I was just a rogue I had heard of the clans and I had my own beliefs, which is how I got to starclan. I give you a life for bravery. When Sun was just a kit I tried crossing a river with her in my jaws. She was wept away and fished out by rogues, Robin and Night. I was to cowardly to swim down the channel after my kit. I feared I myself would drown. Use this life of bravery to never hesitate to save someone you love." Sand said, devoid of emotion. I nervously touched her nose. Behind her stoic expression there was a wall of guilt. I endured the pain before it eventually ebbed away. And then starclan was chanting my name.

"Blossomstar!" They cheered. I smiled briefly before waking up to Flamepelts urgent prodding.

"We have to go, NOW!" He whispered loudly. A strong pungent smell of city washed over my nose.


	20. Help

We raced through the darkness of the caverns tunnels. Whisperheart and Flamepelt ran on either side of me. I never saw who was chasing us but it must have been one of Fang's cats. Suddenly my paw hit a rock and I fell. One second I was running for my life and then next I was on the ground with a sprained ankle.

"Flamepelt!" I shrieked as the first of Fangs cats teeth sunk into my shoulder. I heard Flamepelt skid to a stop as he realized I was no longer beside him. I saw him turn around quicker than the blink of an eye and race back to my side. He hissed and and struck the first cat his claws met. Whisperheart grabbed my scruff and dragged me to my feet.

"Run." Whisperheart ordered through a mouthful of fur. I turned back to look at Flamepelt who was now holding off 3 cats at once. And more were on the way. No doubt Suntail would have gotten word of our whereabouts by now.

"Flamepelt." I whispered. Flamepelt looked up at me. His green eyes flashed with pain, everything seemed to happen in slow motion after that.

"Run Blossomstar." He howled. Whisperheart started tugging on my scruff, pulling me forward. I turned and started running through the tunnels, but not before I saw a flash of golden fur, and Flametail fall.

* * *

I limped into the twoleg nest through blurry eyed tears. At first Ashclan called out cheers of Blossomstar until they fell silent at my terrified expression.

"Move. Out of the way!" Whisperheart growled at cats.

"Icepaw she's going into shock, 2 poppy seeds, stat." Whisperheart commanded his apprentice. Unstettled whispering rippled through the clan. Finally someone broke the ice by announcing, "where is Flametail?"

I woke up well into the next day. Without disturbing anyone I silently made my way up the staircase Flametail had built. I yowled, immediately seizing attention.

"I don't know if Whisperheart has told you already, but I successfully earned my nine lives. However immediately after Fang and his cats invaded the cavern. Flametail is either dead or captured. But I know one thing for certain, it is Suntail's doing." I declared quietly. Ashclan bowed their heads sadly but I yowled again, drawing the focus back up to me.

"However we will not cry in defeat! We will not let this go unpunished! We are a clan, we are Ashclan! And we will not fall!" I howled before leaping off of the staircase.

"My deputy Eagletalon is away for personal reasons. I declare in the eyes of starclan Foxclaw will be my new deputy." I announced. I motioned for the stunned Foxclaw to follow me.

"Like my deputy I am going to be away for a while for personal reasons. If Ebony comes you will strategize with her on my behalf. I will be back before the half moon, I promise." I said quietly. Foxclaw opened his mouth to object but I was already streaking away. My anger was bubbling up, putting me on an unstoppable path. I had a plan to take Suntail down, but to do so I would need more cats, cats I had connections with. A smile curved on my lips as I ran to the one place I knew they would be.

I ran directly to a valley with a cliff over looking the lush green grasses. I located the cave under the cliff, exactly where it was in my hallucinations back in the twoleg testing place. I ran into the cave and 30 pairs of eyes looked up at me in shock. Then a small brown tabby with a white paw stepped forward.

"Blossompaw? Is it really you?" She asked. I nodded.

"My name is Blossomstar now, leader of Ashclan." I declared loudly.

"Is Ashclan one of those clans you used to tell us all about? Are your stories true?" A dog in the back of the cave asked. I nodded once more.

"I need your help, _all_ of your help. You owe me this favor since I helped you all escape from the twoleg building." I demanded.

"Of course, anything!" Cats and dogs called out.

"Good." I smiled. Then I sniffed the air.

"I see the sickness is gone." I sated calmly. A dog called clover stepped forward.

"Yes, we created cures ourselves. Time did the rest." She explained. I congratulated the group of animals before I explained their task. I told them about my clan and Suntail. Hate for the golden furred cat filled the room.

"The half moon and the battle are just 6 days away. We will need to train vigorously for 4 of the 6 days and travel back to Ashclan for the next 2. On the half moon we rescue Flamepelt and stop Suntail once and for all!" I yowled. All the other animals joined in.

_Don't worry Flamepelt, I'm coming for you with help._ I thought softly.


	21. Death

_"Suntail there is nothing I would love more than to kill you myself, but I made a deal. Ebony has the honors." I growled._

_Ebony paced forward excitedly. Her claws flexed at the prospect of ripping into Suntails soft flesh. Ebony wanted vengeance on the golden cat almost as much as I did._

_"However since I won't be killing you myself, I made Ebony promise it would be slow and painful." I added cruelly. _

...

I woke up from the dream in a cold sweat. My claws had been tearing into the moss in my bedding instead of Fang's cats. I looked around at the mass of nests that had been created only yesterday. The animals were ready for battle, so was I. So we were on the move back to Ashclan.

To be honest I didn't really need the cats from the animal testing place, the 13 dogs would be plenty to stop Suntail and Fang. However I didn't want to get cocky and I accepted all the help I could get. I also didn't want my old friends to think I took them for granted, after the battle any who wished to join the clan could. And any that didn't would still have their wounds treated and would be fed; then sent on their way.

I stood up and stretched my legs. I heard peaceful snoring all around me, and the occasional dog or cat shifting in their sleep. I stared up at the Cresent moon which had grown wider each day. The day after tomorrow would be the half moon. I closed my eyes and pictured Flamepelt. I knew that somewhere he too was gazing up at the same moon as me. I then settled back down into my nest as wrapped my think white tail around my paws. Sleep slowly claimed me.

* * *

"Foxclaw!" I shouted, causing a red head with a black snout to appear in a window of the twoleg nest.

"Blossomstar!" The tom called out excitedly. Soon the whole clan had gathered around me, they were all demanding answers of where I had been. I flicked my tail, commanding silence. My gaze then drifted towards the woods. I nodded, and the animals from the testing place padded forward.

"These are my friends, they are our reinforcements." I declared. Ashclan cheered, now we had a good chance of winning the battle. Suddenly Ebony appeared. Foxclaw turned to explain.

"She just arrived a little before you did, I will leave you two to discuss the battle strategy." Foxclaw stated quickly. I shook my head.

"I think everyone should be present to discuss the battle plan. Who knows, someone might have a life saving idea." I announced. A circle of dogs and cats formed around me and Ebony. We immediately began the discussion.

"...So there will be 4 dogs, each guarding 2 windows and the door. Fawndapple, the kits, and the elder Volewhisker will be hiding inside of my den. Whisperheart and Icepaw will be waiting in the medicine cat den until the battle begins. They will observe the battle. If anyone collapses or has a great injury they will dart onto the field and grab them, and pull them into the nest." I declared. Ebony nodded in agreement.

"Will they help my cats as well?" She demanded. I nodded.

"Before the battle we will each mark our coats with a splotch of mud to mark who's side we are on. Since there are so many cats here I don't want our warriors fighting each other." I added. Ebony agreed. Then her amber eyes glinted slightly. I assumed she would begin the battle strategy discussion.

"Your warriors and only your warrriors will be waiting on the battle field for Fang and Suntail. My cats will be hiding in the tree line, a surprise second wave. The dogs will come up behind the opponents, surrounding them on all sides." Ebony stated, there was no need to discuss the plan, it was perfect. Ashclan dissolved back into their daily routines and Ebony marched back off towards the city to get her cats.

Tomorrow we would fight for our lives, our home, and our clan.

* * *

My paws felt like lead as I marched through the forest and up the grassy slopes. The forest diminished into a giant clearing. The battle field. My heart hammered inside of me as our cats got into position. Ebony's eyes glittered from behind the tree line. She nodded at me and I nodded back. I then turned my attention towards the field. The first of Fangs cat's heads were appearing. Suntail and Fang were at the lead. Ebony and I growled in unison as we saw the golden cat. Fang and Suntail laughed as they saw our small forces. Little did they know they were already surrounded by enemies.

"I have to say I'm disappointed Blossomstar, I was expecting much more of a challenge than this." Suntail taunted. It was all I could do to not run forward right then. I raised my tail slightly and Ebony walked out to stand by my side. Fang's eyes widened in shock at the sigh of his ex mate. Suntail just looked confused.

"Who is that?" She demanded. Fang just stared in open mouthed horror. He knew what was coming next. Ebony snarled and her forces slowly walked out of the trees. Suntails eyes went from amused to annoyed to scared. We were evenly matched now. And they hadn't even seen the dogs yet.

Suntail frowned and turned to Fang, she whispered something in his ear. Fang nodded. Suddenly one of his cats brought forth a prisoner, Flamepelt. Suntail looked reluctant but had no choice. She nodded and the cat went back to stand with the others. She then placed a single claw on Flametails throat. She could end his life in an instant.

"Well well well. You have done a better job that I first thought. But no matter, I still have my bargaining piece." She growled. I smiled hopefully. Would she really give me Flamepelt back if we called off the battle? But Suntails next words weren't what I expected.

"I let Flamepelt run back over to your side, if you run over to mine." She shouted. I stared at her in confusion. SUntail's lip curved into a cruel smile. Her next words chilled me to the bone.

"I will let Flamepelt live if you lay down your own life. All nine of them. It's you or him Blossomstar." Suntail called out.

"No Blossomstar don't!" Flamepelt screamed. Suntail silenced him by knocking him out cold quickly.

"Ok." I whispered. I walked forward slowly. Ebony stared at me in shock. My own cats were to stunned to react. Suntail nodded to Fang who rabbed Flamepelt by the scruff and dragged him over to where I just stood. Ebony stared at her ex mate with sadness and disgust. I saw her growl, "Are you really going to let that cat kill Blossomstar nine time? Are you that much of a monster?" She demanded. Fang looked away and ran back over to his own side. Amberfur licked her brothers ear gently until he aroused. He looked around wildly until he spotted me standing in front of Suntail. Amberfur had to physically restrain him from dashing out there to save me.

Suntail was just inches away from me now. She leaned in close to me and whispered coldly in my ear, "You won't escape this time Blossomstar."

I felt a slash of pain as her claw ripped across my throat. I heard Flamepelt scream in the background. And then I died.


	22. Ashclan

"There has never been a cat as brave as you, nor will there ever be." Adderfang whispered to me. Tears threatened to spill over his eyes. When he sent me back to the living he knew I would just die again and again. All nine times. I smiled sadly at him and darkness clouded my vision.

Suddenly I heaved upward as air refilled my lungs. Suntail Raised her paw to have it come crashing down on my throat again. However I saw wonder light up in her gaze as she realized I really had nine lives. Starclan really was real...and a force to be reckoned with.

However even starclan couldn't get in the way of her crazed power hungry desire. She took another one of my lives.

This time as the blood seeped out of my neck I stared at her. I dared her to make eye contact with me as my pain scarred eyes became dull. Each time I died she would have to see the life leave my eyes.

I saw the sickening feeling crawl through Suntails pelt.

I died, awoke and she killed me a third time. However I could see the strain wearing on her. My blue eyes met her green as I collapsed back on the ground.

When I awoke I knew she would take my forth life. However when she raised her paw to strike our eyes met and she hesitated. She hesitated just slightly before sending her paw crashing down. The fear of seeing my eyes lose their life one more time was enough to make her hesitate. And that was enough time fo me to surge upward and through her off her paws. Suntail went flying through the air. My blood was still on her claws.

She landed heavily and Fang's cats ran forward to meet mine. The battle erupted with howls of hatred. However Fang and his cats weren't really in the fight, they watched me die 3 times and come back to life. I looked around wildly for Flamepelt. He had to be somewhere. I started running around the battle field, searching for an orange pelt. Suddenly a shadow flew over head. I looked up in shock as I saw Chance land right behind me.

"You didn't think I'd just let you fight alone now did you?" He snorted before sweeping an enemy cat of his paws.

"I found my daughter by the way. She lives in the city with 2 twolegs. I can visit her any time I want." Chance murmured before charging into another cat.

"That's great." I murmured. Chance looked at me.

"However my heart lies in the clans. You can call me Eagletalon again." He smiled. I looked up at him happily. Then before I knew what was happening he had scooped me up in his mouth and was running away from the battle. He flung me up onto his back and snarled. The battle seemed to freeze as everyone gazed up at the great dog and the white cat.

"This battle is over. It only began because of a power hungry cat. Fang and Ebony, take your cats and leave the forest." Eagletalon growled.

"Not before I do one thing!" Ebony roared and charged forward at Suntail who was cowering behind Fang. Fang didn't even try to stop Ebony as she ripped into Suntail. The golden furred cat wailed as she was brutally mauled.

Ebony eventually stopped and left Suntail to bleed out on her own. Fang looked down at the blood covered Suntail and then up at Ebony. He nodded to the black she cat before motioning for his troops to leave. They ran off in a sprint back towards the city. Ebony turned to face me.

"Our alliance is now over, Blossomstar." She declared.

"I promise I will stay away from the forest if you stay away from the city. Do we have an agreement?" She demanded I nodded. Ebony's cats quickly ran off too. However Ebony didn't move. Instead she turned to address Whisperheart the medicine cat who was treating the wounded.

"Whisper!" She called out. Whisperheart looked up at the sound of his old name. Ebony padded forward.

"I have a message to you from your brother, Sol. He says the eclipse is coming soon. And he needs your help." Ebony yowled before running off after her cats.

_Was Sol the brother Whisperheart told me was evil?_

Whisperheart stared in horror at Ebony as she raced away.

"Sol has found me...and he's going to make me keep my promise to him." Whisperheart murmured.

"What promise?" I demanded. Whisperheart looked at me with round eyes.

"I have to destroy the clans!" He wailed. I looked at Ashclan in panic.

"Not your clan, another group of clans. The clans of Thunder, Shadow, Wind, and River." Whisperheart whispered. I shivered slightly as Whisperheart bowed his head.

"I won't do it though. I am breaking my promise to you Sol." Whisperheart declared. Suddenly there was an ominous clap of thunder and a storm erupted, raining down on us.

However even through the rain and message from Sol, our spirits could not be dampened. We had won the battle against Suntail, we would continue to prosper as a clan, and I, Blossomstar, had escaped once more.

* * *

Eagletalon died one moon after the battle from old age. The clan mourned the loss of the brave dog but I knew I would just find him in starclan one day. I appointed Foxclaw as my new deputy and the clan celebrated. A while later I discovered I was expecting kits. Flamepelt and I rejoiced, however I had to temporarily step down from my leadership duties. But Foxclaw was capable and Ashclan only grew. All the dogs and cats from the animal testing place joined us. And I had 2 kits. Firekit, and Icekit. Whisperheart had a prophecy that Fire and Ice would have great destinies. I looked down at my tiny kits, and I nuzzled them lovingly. Of course they would have great destinines.

Graypaw and Dovepaw had their warrior ceremonies and were named Grayfoot and Doveheart. Fawndapples kits were also made apprentices.

I knew with just one glance that Ashclan would thrive for many seasons to come. Because through thick and thin a clan won't die. It isn't the traditions of a clan or even the skills of a clan. What makes a clan a clan is the cats it has. And in all my days of life I had never met a better group of cats and dogs.

We were Ashclan. And we would survive anything.


End file.
